Does Inhibiting Phloem Loading in Verbascum Phoenicium Induce Programmed Cell Death in Intermediary Cells? [Poster]

Abstract

Phloem loading is the method by which carbohydrates are accumulated in source phloem tissue of vascular plants. In Verbascum phoeniceum L. a suppression of the phloem loading system by an RNA silencing mechanism results in unusual changes in physical appearance, with intermediary cells appearing to undergo programmed cell death. The presence of programmed cell death can be confirmed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, which detects DNA fragmentation, a hallmark characteristic of cells undergoing programmed cell death. [Poster]