The cereal aleurone cell is well established as a model system for studying hormonal regulation of plant cells. The aleurone of the barley grain is a digestive tissue that secretes hydrolases that mobilize endosperm reserves during germination. The synthesis and secretion of these hydrolases (principally a-amylases) is under hormonal regulation. Gibberellin (GA) stimulates a-amylase synthesis and secretion, whereas abscisic acid (ABA) reverses this effect. The site of perception of these hormones in the aleurone cell is now tentatively assigned to the plasma membrane. However, the signal transduction events leading from the receptor to the coordination of the complex events that make up and regulate the secretory activity of these cells are still poorly understood. It is these events that we are interested in studying.

click here to download a picture of the barley grain and its aleurone


We are studying the role(s) of cytoplasmic regulators such asin the control of these cells in response to GA and ABA.


For example to the right is a computer analyzed microsocope Image of the signal-related calcium levels in a barley aleurone cell as it responds to the hormone gibberellic acid.


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