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Thomas Leustek
Professor
Rutgers University
Dept. of Plant Science
Biotechnology Center for Agriculture & the Environment
Rutgers University
School of Env & Biol Sciences
New Brunswick. NJ 08903
(848) 932-6296
FAX - 0312
leustek@aesop.rutgers.edu |
Biochemistry. Physiology
My research focuses on sulfur metabolism in higher plants.
Plants and microorganisms are able to assimilate inorganic sulfate into
organic forms. primarily cysteine and methionine. Animals are unable to
assimilate sulfate. and so are dependent on ingesting plants and microorganisms
for this nutrient. Both cysteine and methionine participate in a multitude
of universally essential cellular functions. To name a few; (1) the thiol
group of cysteine is required for protein structure and function. (2) methionine
is required for initiation of translation. (3) glutathione functions as the
primary modulator of cellular redox potential. (4) thiol groups of the protein
metallothionein or the peptides known as phytochelatins are the primary
defense against the toxic affects of heavy metals. Despite their importance. the pathways for cysteine and methionine biosynthesis or their regulation
in plants are not fully understood. My laboratory is using a molecular genetic
approach to explore this topic. We have used microorganisms for which mutants
are known. to clone by functional complementation. the genes encoding enzymes
in the cysteine and methionine biosynthetic pathways from higher plants.
The cloning of these genes demonstrates. first. that they exist in higher
plants and provides the tools with which to explore such questions as: (1)
what are the kinetic and physical properties of the enzymes. (2) how are
the enzymes and the pathway regulated. (3) does modification of the pathway
affect the ability of an organism to tolerate heavy metals or oxidative
stress?
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