Syllabus
1. Basic terms: phytohormone, growth regulator. Phytohormone types. Theory of hormonal regulation of plant growth and development. Methods in phytohormone research. Mechanisms of action of phytohormones, signaling cascades.
2. Auxins. Discovery of auxins in plants. Physiological effects of auxins. Chemical structure and properties of auxins and antiauxins. Metabolism of auxins (biosynthesis, conjugation, degradation). Regulation of internal concentration of auxins. Transgenic plants in respect to auxins. Transport of auxins, polarity, translocation across plasmamembrane, carriers, inhibitors of polar auxin transport. Transduction of auxin signal, receptors, signaling pathways, gene expression, ubiquitination. Methods of extraction and determination of auxins.
3. Cytokinins. Discovery of cytokinins in plants. Physiological effects of cytokinins. Chemical structure and properties of cytokinins (isoprenoid, aromatic, urea-type) and anticytokinins. Metabolism of cytokininins (biosynthesis, conjugation, degradation). Regulation of internal concentration of cytokinins. Transgenic plants in respect to cytokinins. Transport of cytokinins. Transduction of cytokinin signal, receptors, signaling pathways. Methods of extraction and determination of cytokinins.
4. Gibberellins. Discovery of gibberellins in plants. Chemical structure and properties of gibberellins. Metabolism of gibberellins (biosynthesis, mutual interconversion, conjugation, degradation). Mechanisms of action of gibberellins - signal transduction, effect on gene expression. Physiological effects of gibberellins - role of mutants in their research. Methods of extraction and determination of gibberellins.
5. Abscisic acid. Discovery of abscisisc acid (ABA) in plants. Chemical structure and properties of ABA. Metabolism of ABA (biosynthesis, conjugation, degradation). Mechanisms of action of ABA - signal transduction, effect on gene expression, antagonism with gibberellins. Physiological effects of ABA. ABA as a stress hormone. Transport of ABA from roots. Methods of extraction and determination of ABA.
6. Ethylene. Discovery of ethylene in plants. Chemical structure and properties of ethylene. Ethylene as a gaseous hormone - compartmentation in plant tissues. Metabolism of ethylene (biosynthesis, degradation and conjugation of its precursor). Mechanisms of action of ethylene - receptors, signal transduction, effect on gene expression. Physiological effects of ethylene - role of mutants in their research. Ethylene and stress. Methods of ethylene determination.
7. Polyamines, brassinosteroids, jasmonic acid, oligosaccharines, peptide hormones. Chemical structure and properties of these substances. Metabolism (biosynthesis and degradation). Mechanisms of action - signal transduction. Physiological effects. Systemic response to biotic stress. Methods of determination.
8. Phenolic compounds, including salicylic acid. Spectrum of phenolic compounds in plants. Metabolism of phenolic compounds (biosynthesis, interconversion, degradation). Mechanisms of action of some phenolic compounds, especially salicylic acid. Physiological effects of these compounds - secondary metabolites or regulatory substances? Methods of determination of phenolic compounds.
Annotation
Systems of plant growth regulation, signalling cascades. Phytohormones - general characteristics, mechanisms of action. Auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroids, strigolactones, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, peptide hormones - metabolism, mechanism of action, physiological effects and cross-talk. Metods of phytohormone research.
We suggest completing a course on Plant physiology before attending this course.