Name : Monica Alandete-Saez

Project:Patterning of the female gametophyte

Project Summary :

Analyses of how the cells within the female gametophyte acquire their identity after celularization during embryo sac development. We are using cell-specific promoters to modify auxin levels and auxin response during development as well as reverse genetic approach of the yucca genes expressed in the female gametophyte.

Education:

Ph.D., Plant Molecular Biology, University of Nottingham ( England)

Thesis Advisor: Professor Jeremy, A. Roberts

Thesis title: Role of Response Regulators during reproductive development in Arabidopsis thaliana

MSc., (distinction) Plant Biotechnology for Emerging Economies, University of Sussex, Brighton ( England)

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Carlton Woods

Thesis title: Strees proteins in Pisum sativum

BSc., major in Biochemistry, University of Valencia, Spain.

One-Year Erasmus student at University of Oslo, Norway

Project Advisor: Dr. Uwe Klein

Project: RNA stability in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast

Publications

Alandete-Saez M ., Ron M. and McCormick S. Arabidopsis GEX1 plays different roles during fertilization and its dimerization in the plasma membrane is essential for early embryogenesis. (prep. to submit to Development).

Pagnussat G., Alandete-Saez M ., Bowman J. and Sundaresan V. (2009). Auxin directs patterning and gamete specification in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte. Science (in revision).

Alandete-Saez M., Ron M. and McCormick S. (2008). GEX3, expressed in the male gametophyte and in the egg cell of Arabidopsis thaliana is essential for micropylar pollen tube guidance and plays a role during early embryogenesis. Molecular Plant 1 (4): 586 - 598.

Gattolin S., Alandete-Saez M., T.K. Elliot, Gonzalez-Carranza Z., Naomab E., Powell C. and Roberts JA. (2006). Spatial and temporal expression of the response regulators ARR22 and ARR24 in Arabidopsis thaliana. J. Experimental Botany 57 (15): 4225 – 4233.