What is needed to initiate transcription? How do transcription factors regulate the rate of mRNA synthesis?

How is a pre-mRNA processed before it leaves the nucleus? How does this processing effect mRNA stability and translation?

Diagram translation initiation, elongation and termination.

How do proteins get sorted so they get transported to the appropriate organelle or location?

List the ways protein activity can be regulated.

Explain what is known about the signal transduction pathway for thigmorphogenesis.

Define totipotent, cell fate, meristem and initial cells.

Is cell fate dependent on cell lineage or cell position? Explain both of these hypotheses. Discuss experimental evidence indicating which hypothesis you think is correct.

Why has mutational analysis been so successful in analyzing plant physiology and development?

Write the formula for cell expansion and explain what each of the variables are. Describe what changes occur in plants to alter components of the equation. What hormones regulate these changes?

What are the components of cell walls? Why do we care what cell walls molecules are in cell walls, ie. what does each component do?

How do expansins modulate growth? How does pH effect expansin activity? What hormone increases the expression of expansins?

How does the cytoskeleton affect growth?

What experiments led to the determination of the structure of auxins?

What are the structural similarities of the compounds that have auxin activity? Which of these compounds does the plant synthesize?

Why does auxin move faster than the rate of diffusion? How is the localization of the auxin efflux carrier important?

What are some of the problems associated with measuring auxin? Why do these problems complicate experiments designed to determine the role of auxin?

Explain the acid growth hypothesis. In the explanation use the following words: expansin, extensibility coefficient, fusicoccin and proton pump.

How is auxin involved with phototropism and geotropism?

Cytokinin was identified using tissue culture. Explain the rationale for the search for cytokinin based on organogenesis experiments done in tissue culture. Did these experiments identify cytokinins? Were these cytokinins identical in structure to naturally-occuring cytokinins?

Why is the auxin/cytokinin ratio important? Discuss the importance for organ development and cell division.

Draw the phases of the cell cycle and explain what occurs in each phase. How is the cell cycle regulated?

GA is synthesized from isoprenes. Name some other isoprenes and explain why they are important.

How does the classification of GAs differ from auxins and cytokinins?

Explain what role GA and ABA have in seed germination. What types of genes does GA induce in the aleurone?

What are some commercial uses of GA inhibitors?

How is ethylene transported? Does it diffuse through the air?

Explain the two-component signaling system. How many different signaling pathways use this system?

What are some commercial uses of ethylene inhibitors?

What properties of phytochrome facilitated the biochemical isolation of this molecule?

We discussed a number of classes of phytochrome responses. Name a physiological effect for each of these classes. Explain how these classes differ from one another.

How do plants detect shading? What physiological changes are induced by shading?

How does phytochrome detect whether a plant is shaded?

Why are some blue-light receptors called cryptochromes?

What are the chemical properties of crytochromes?

Based on Arabidopsis cry mutants, what physiological processes do these receptors regulate?

What is the phenotype of nph1 mutants? What processes do phototropins regulate? What motifs do phototropins have?

How do plants prevent photodamage?

What information did "night break" experiments reveal about the process of floral induction?

Explain the ABC model for floral organogenesis.

Explain the Munch Pressure-Flow Hypothesis for phloem transport.

What are the two mechanisms for phloem loading?

How does a plant regulate sink strength?

What is transported in phloem?

How does phloem prevent the loss of photosynthate if a sieve element is damaged?