Susan L. Blauth
Department of Biology

University of Redlands

Research Interests

I enjoy using molecular genetic tools using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.  Arabidopsis is not used as a crop, but is used in the laboratory to understand how other plants work. It has many qualities, such as a short life cycle, that make it very useful in the lab setting.  Currently I am working on two projects:  one investigating starch biosynthesis and a second investigating the plant toxin herbarumin. 

In both projects I use mutants of Arabidopsis created with Agrobacterium tumefaciens.When Agrobacterium comes in contact with a plant, it transfers a piece of its DNA (called T-DNA) into the plant's DNA.  The T-DNA turns the gene off because it disrupts the code for the product which it contains.

 

104 Hedco Hall

Phone (909) 748-8735
Fax (909) 335-5312

susan_blauth@redlands.edu

Maize starch is widely used to improve the consistency of food (you may see it listed as modified food starch on food labels).  I am investigating some of the enzymes that work together to create starch.  Once I have found a plant with the correct gene "turned off" I then analyze the starch to see how it has changed.  This indicates the role this gene has in starch synthesis.

Herbarumin is a plant toxin naturally produced by a fungus.  I am collaborating with David Soulsby in the Chemistry Department to try to determine the interaction between herbarumin and Arabidopsis that results in a toxic response.

If you would like to help with these projects by conducting an independent research project, please let me know.