postdoctoral position

[JC Jang]

A postdoctoral researcher position is available immediately to study 
the regulatory functions of sterols in plant embryogenesis.  Plant 
steroid hormones play important roles in regulating a variety of 
cellular activities and development.  In the past, only 
brassinosteroids (BRs) have been demonstrated to have hormonal 
effects in post-embryonic growth.  Other sterols have been considered 
simply as membrane structural components.  However, several recent 
studies have suggested that besides BRs, other sterols are also 
critically involved in the regulation of both embryonic and 
post-embryonic development.  While this is primarily established 
through genetic studies, the underlying molecular and cellular 
mechanisms are not known.  Our goal is to determine the signaling 
role of non-BR sterols in cell division, cell expansion, and 
embryogenesis in plants.  We will be using both the whole plant and a 
cellular system to dissect a putative sterol signaling pathway in 
Arabidopsis.  Applicants with a Ph.D. and a strong background in cell 
biology and molecular genetics should send a statement of interest, 
curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references to: J. 
C. Jang, Dept. of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State 
University, E-mail: jang.40 at osu.edu

References:
Carland, F.M., Fujioka, S., Takatsuto, S., Yoshida, S., and Nelson, 
T. (2002). The Identification of CVP1 Reveals a Role for Sterols in 
Vascular Patterning. Plant Cell 14, 2045-2058.

Clouse, S.D. (2000). Plant development: A role for sterols in 
embryogenesis. Curr. Biol. 10, R601-R604.

Clouse, S.D. (2002). Arabidopsis mutants reveal multiple roles for 
sterols in plant development. Plant Cell 14, 1995-2000.

Diener, A.C., Li, H., Whoriskey, W.J., Nes, D., and Fink, G.R. 
(2000). STEROL METHYLTRANSFERASE 1 controls the levels of cholesterol 
in plants. Plant Cell 12, 853-870.

Jang, J.-C., Fujioka, S., Tasaka, M., Seto, H., Takatsuto, S., Ishii, 
A., Aida, M., Yoshida, S., and Sheen, J. (2000). A critical role of 
sterols in embryonic patterning and meristem programming revealed by 
the fackel mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Genes Dev. 14, 1485-1497.

Schaeffer, A., Bronner, R., Benveniste, P., and Schaller, H. (2001). 
The ratio of campesterol to sitosterol that modulates growth in 
Arabidopsis is controlled by STEROL METHYLTRANSFERASE 2;1. Plant J 
25, 605-615.

Schrick, K., Mayer, U., Martin, G., Bellini, C., Kuhnt, C., Schmidt, 
J., and Jurgens, G. (2002). Interactions between sterol biosynthesis 
genes in embryonic development of Arabidopsis. Plant J 31, 61-73.

Schrick, K., Mayer, U., Horrichs, A., Kuhnt, C., Bellini, C., Dangl, 
J., Schmidt, J., and Jurgens, G. (2000). FACKEL is a sterol C-14 
reductase required for organized cell division and expansion in 
Arabidopsis embryogenesis. Genes Dev. 14, 1471-1484.

Souter, M., Topping, J., Pullen, M., Friml, J., Palme, K., Hackett, 
R., Grierson, D., and Lindsey, K. (2002). hydra mutants of 
Arabidopsis are defective in sterol profiles and auxin and ethylene 
signaling. Plant Cell 14, 1-15.



JC Jang
Dept. of Horticulture and Crop Science
Dept. of Plant Biology
Ohio State University
Phone: (614) 292-8496 (office)
               (614) 292-9116 (lab)
Fax: (614) 292-7162
email: jang.40 at osu.edu
URL: http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~jcjang/

Graduate Studies in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Program (PMBB)
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/%7Epmbb/