9307092 Johnson The biosynthesis of inositol is temporally and spatially controlled in Arabidopsis thaliana . Because Arabidopsis is an excellent organism for experiments in classical and molecular genetics, aspects of the genetic control of inositol metabolism can be defined using molecular genetics to study the pivotal biosynthetic enzyme, myoinositol 1 phosphate synthase (MI 1 Psynthase) EC5.5.1.4, which converts glucose 6 phosphate to inositol 1 phosphate and the pivotal catabolic enzyme, myo inositol oxygenase EC1.13.99.1, which catalyzes the first step in the inositol oxidation pathway. Studies of these enzymes and the genes that encode them will contribute to the basic understanding of the genetic regulation of metabolic processes in plants. The long term objective of the research is to define, mechanistically, the genetic control of inositol metabolism in higher plants. Specifically, the work outlined in this proposal will 1)study (using the cloned Arabidopsis MI 1 Psynthase gene) mechanism(s) involved in the regulated expression of MI 1 P synthase, 2) locate MI 1 Psynthase subcelluarly and 3) isolate the inositol oxygenase and its structural gene from Arabidopsis . %%% Elucidation of mechanisms involved in the genetic regulation of inositol metabolism is important for understanding plant growth and development. Inositol, a ubiquitous component of eukaryotic cells, plays a vital role in the biochemistry and physiology of plants. ***
