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Pal Maliga
Professor
Rutgers University
Department of Genetics
Waksman Institute
Piscataway. NJ 08854-0759
(732) 445-5329
FAX - 5735
maliga@waksman.rutgers.edu
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Molecular genetics of plastids. plastid engineering. regulation of plastid
gene expression
The plastids of higher plants
are genetically semi-autonomous: they have their own genome. transcription and
translation machinery. Our long-term interest is to understand how coordinated
expression of plastid and nuclear genes contribute to plastid function and plant
development. We extensively use transgenic technology. which was pioneered for
higher plant plastids in this laboratory. Our model plants are tobacco. Arabidopsis and tomato. (1) We study the multisubunit (PEP) and phage-type (NEP)
plastid RNA polymerases: promoter architecture. recognition. polymerase
composition and regulation of plastid gene expression utilizing a combination of
in vitro biochemical and in vivo transgenic approaches. (2) We are working on
the implementation of transplastomic technology in Arabidopsis thaliana. This
research utilizes plant cell culture and phage recombinases that are suitable
for the insertion of transforming DNA. marker gene excision. and to probe
plastid gene function. (3) A new area is the study of the role of plastid
proteases in plant development. (4) We are interested in the biotechnological
applications of transplastomic technology. including expression of recombinant
proteins for biomedical and industrial uses.
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