Degree Name

MS (Master of Science)

Program

Chemistry

Date of Award

12-2024

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Robert F. Standaert

Committee Members

Catherine McCusker, Aleksey Vasiliev

Abstract

Phytosulfokine is a critical signaling peptide involved in plant growth, development, and stress responses. This thesis investigates the trafficking mechanisms of Phytosulfokine (PSK) in Arabidopsis thaliana, employing fluorescently labelled PSK for non-destructive imaging using a custom-built fiber-optic fluorescence microscope. The study aims to determine the mobility and fate of PSK in plant tissues. Experimental results reveal the short-range and long-range movement of PSK across leaves. Additionally, the project highlights the optimization of non-destructive imaging techniques and the synthesis of caged dexamethasone to facilitate optogenetic studies. These findings provide new insights into PSK trafficking mechanisms in plants, enhancing our understanding of phytohormone-mediated plant stress responses and offering potential agricultural biotechnology applications to improve bioenergy crops.

Document Type

Dissertation - embargo

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

Available for download on Thursday, January 15, 2026

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