Pimp your brain: From greenhouse to the lab

Summary

In this video, Mercedes, a PhD student at the Max Planck Institute, shares her research on modifying photosynthesis in plants. She introduces a gene into tobacco plants using a gene gun, aiming to enhance photosynthetic efficiency. By linking the gene to an antibiotic resistance marker, she ensures only the transformed cells survive. Mercedes grows the plants, compares them to non-transformed plants, and studies their DNA, RNA, and protein activity to assess if the gene improves photosynthesis. Her research hopes to contribute to better understanding and improving plant photosynthesis for future applications.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mercedes is a PhD student at the Max Black Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, working on modifying photosynthesis in tobacco plants.
• 😀 The goal of her research is to improve photosynthesis by introducing a specific gene into the chloroplasts of tobacco plants.
• 😀 Mercedes uses a gene gun, which involves shooting gold particles coated with the desired gene into plant cells under high pressure.
• 😀 The gold particles are essential for delivering the gene into plant cells, effectively acting as tiny vehicles for genetic material.
• 😀 To identify successfully transformed cells, Mercedes links the gene of interest to an antibiotic resistance gene, ensuring only the transformed cells survive.
• 😀 After gene introduction, Mercedes monitors plant growth for several weeks to check for successful transformation.
• 😀 The plant tissue from successfully transformed plants is used for further analysis to ensure the gene is incorporated and active.
• 😀 Mercedes observes that plants with the new gene are smaller and lighter compared to control plants that did not receive the gene.
• 😀 After growth, she freezes a portion of the plant tissue in liquid nitrogen to stop metabolism, preparing it for grinding into a powder for analysis.
• 😀 Mercedes analyzes DNA, RNA, and proteins from the plant material to verify the successful incorporation and activity of the gene, ultimately testing its effect on photosynthesis.

Q & A

What is the goal of Mercedes' PhD research?

Mercedes aims to modify photosynthesis to understand it better and improve its efficiency. She is working on creating a gene to enhance photosynthesis, which she plans to introduce into tobacco plants.

What part of the plant cell does Mercedes focus on for her research?

Mercedes is focusing on the chloroplast, the part of the plant cell where photosynthesis occurs.

How does Mercedes introduce the gene into the plant cells?

Mercedes uses a gene gun, which shoots gold particles coated with the gene into the plant cells at very high pressure, similar to an air rifle.

Why are gold particles used in the gene gun?

Gold particles are used because they help efficiently deliver the gene into the plant cells during the gene gun process.

What method does Mercedes use to identify successful gene incorporation?

Mercedes links her gene to an antibiotic resistance gene. After shooting the gene into the plant cells, she applies antibiotics. Only the cells that have incorporated the resistance gene (and thus the new gene) will survive and grow.

How long does it take for the plant to grow after gene incorporation?

After three weeks, Mercedes checks the plants. Only one out of seven pieces shows growth, indicating that successful gene incorporation has occurred.

What is the significance of the greenhouse in Mercedes' research?

The greenhouse provides a controlled environment where Mercedes can grow the plants that contain the new gene, allowing her to compare them with plants that do not contain the gene.

How does Mercedes prepare plant material for analysis?

Mercedes cuts pieces of the plants, freezes them in liquid nitrogen to halt metabolism, and then grinds the frozen plant material to create a homogeneous powder for analysis.

What types of analysis does Mercedes conduct on the plant material?

Mercedes analyzes the DNA to confirm the presence of her gene, and she also examines the RNA and proteins to determine whether the gene is active and functioning.

What is Mercedes' hypothesis regarding the modified plants?

Mercedes hypothesizes that the gene she has introduced can improve photosynthesis in the plants, and she intends to analyze the plants' photosynthetic activity to test this hypothesis.