Ana de Pereda

BioE PhD Proposal Presentation

Friday, May 3 at 3:00 pm.

Ford ES&T Room 1387

Teams Link: Join the meeting

Meeting ID: 294 277 011 158

Passcode: 4FJjmF

Committee

• Dr. Lily Cheung (Ph.D. Advisor, Chemical Engineering, GT )

• Dr. Hang Lu (Chemical Engineering, GT)

• Dr. Mark Styczynski (Chemical Engineering, GT)

• Dr. John Blazeck (Chemical Engineering, GT)

• Dr. JC Gumbart (Chemistry and Biochemistry, GT)

Exploring the Oligomerization of Sugar Transporters for the Advancement in Plant Systems and Synthetic Biology 

Plant SWEET proteins play a pivotal role as sugar transporters, contributing to crucial processes in plants such as reproduction, stress resistance, and sugar distribution. This thesis proposal will investigate the oligomerization of these key membrane transporter proteins, aiming to unravel their complex emergent functions. By understanding these functions, the goal is to pioneer the engineering of sugar transporters with novel capabilities. Employing advanced characterization techniques, including native mass-spectrometry and fluorescence-based assays, this study aims to accurately quantify the stoichiometry of SWEET oligomers in both Arabidopsis thaliana and yeast heterologous expression systems. Furthermore, the research will establish a comprehensive quantitative model to describe sugar transport dynamics for the oligomeric transporters and their individual subunits. Emphasis will be placed on SWEET proteins associated with plant reproduction to create synthetic sugar pumps designed to enhance sugar allocation to endosperm tissues. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the study seeks to delineate the specific impact oligomerization has on sugar transport across plant membranes, thereby informing the intelligent engineering of plant sugar distribution mechanisms for advancements in agricultural productivity and food security.