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Zinnia Gonzalez-Carranza

Lecturer, Faculty of Science

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Expertise Summary

During my past postdoctoral post, I was able to map successfully the HAWAIIAN SKIRT gene - the mutant does not shed its floral parts because the sepal bases remain fused during development. We are in the process of identifying the putative target(s) for degradation from this gene. I also exploited the use of a transgenic line that I had generated expressing the reporter GFP specifically in abscission zone cells. Using this ProPGAZAT:GFP line I was able to identify and collect abscission zone cells separating in vivo, and I developed a methodology to generate the first single cell cDNA, yeast one-hybrid and yeast two-hybrid libraries from this material. I have used the cDNA library to produce the first complete transcript profile from abscission zone cells and this has revealed expression of genes whose site of transcription was previously undocumented. Currently I am involved in the characterization of seven genes identified with this strategy.

At the present we have collaborations with Dr. Janny Peters in Nijmegen, (Netherlands); Prof. Raiduun Aalen and Dr. Melinka Butenko from the University of Oslo and Dr. Sarah McKim from the Dept of Botany from the UBC in Canada.

I also performed promoter deletion analyses from abscission related gene and identified a putative abscission-related domain. My work also broadened the focus of the programme of research by introducing a bioinformatics approach to identify other polygalacturonase genes that might make an important contribution to cell separation.

I am working in the characterization of two ubiquitin-like genes from the Arabidopsis model species.

Research Summary

The characterization of some of the genes identified in my past research (we identidified around 200 genes of interest and up to date 7 genes studied from the library are abscission related) is… read more

Recent Publications

  • GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, ZH and ROBERTS JA, 2012. Ethylene and Cell Separation Processes. In: PROFESSOR MICHAEL MCMANUS, ed., The Plant Hormone Ethylene First. 44. Wiley-Blackwell's. 243-265
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, MCCUE, S, BARTSCH, T, DYSON, R, BEGERISEE-DIAZ, M, JENSEN O, BENTAHAR, K, CHENCHIAH, I and NOURI, F. Z.AND ROBERTS, J.A., 2009. Modelling cell separation during Organ Abscission In: Mathematics in the Plant Sciences, Study Group. 1-12
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ZHANG X, PETERS J. L. and ROBERTS J. A., 2009. Interaction between the ubiquitination and miRNA pathways in the regulation of flower development 20th International Conference in Arabidopsis Research. P037, P12
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ZHANG X, PETERS J. L. and ROBERTS J. A., 2009. ... Love me, love me not... a way to increase petal numbers from Arabidopsis. Workshop in mechanisms Controlling Flower Development.. 31

Current Research

The characterization of some of the genes identified in my past research (we identidified around 200 genes of interest and up to date 7 genes studied from the library are abscission related) is on-going and forms an innovative part of the projects of PhD students and visitors who I am supervising. The research tools I have generated are not only in use within the Plant Sciences Division at Nottingham but are also currently being used in collaborations with other plant scientists around the world.

I have been generating crosses from the Hawaiian Skirt gene with other genes and we are currently investigating the role of this gene in the plant development and we are looking for the putative target(s) for this particular F-box protein.

I am also investigating the roles from two ubiquitin like genes in the model species Arabidopsis by generation of Knock out lines, overexpressors lines, doubles and triple knock outs and the interaction of these genes through the use of a Yeast two hybrid screening methodology.

Past Research

During my PhD I isolated and characterised a Polygalacturonase expressed during leaf abscission in Brassica napus, and I identified the orthologue gene in Arabidopsis thaliana.

During the 3 years of my first postdoctoral post, I exploited the information generated from my PhD work and using a 'crop to model species' strategy allowed me to undertake promoter deletion analyses and identify a putative abscission-related domain. It also enabled me to develop the tools and methodologies, including the molecular tagging of abscission zone cells, that have proved to be the foundation for the successful submission of a further project to BBSRC. My work also broadened the focus of the programme of research by introducing a bioinformatics approach to identify other polygalacturonases genes that might make an important contribution to cell separation (see publication list for references).

During my last postdoctoral post I was able to map successfully the HAWAIIAN SKIRT gene - the mutant does not shed its floral parts because the sepal bases remain fused during development. The gene encodes an F-box protein. During the course of the project I also exploited the use of a transgenic line that I had generated expressing the reporter GFP specifically in abscission zone cells. Using this PGAZAT::GFP line I was able to identify and collect abscission zone cells separating in vivo, and I developed a methodology to generate the first single cell cDNA, yeast one-hybrid and yeast two-hybrid libraries from this material. I have used the cDNA library to produce the first complete transcript profile from abscission zone cells and this has revealed expression of genes whose site of transcription was previously undocumented.

Future Research

I intend to advance in our knowledge in the three areas I have been actively involved in the last 10 years: cell separation processes with an emphasis in the abscission process by following some of the genes identified in the cDNA library screening I generated in the past, the role of the F-box protein Hawaiian Skirt, and the characterization of the two ubiquitin like genes from Arabidopsis.

  • GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, ZH and ROBERTS JA, 2012. Ethylene and Cell Separation Processes. In: PROFESSOR MICHAEL MCMANUS, ed., The Plant Hormone Ethylene First. 44. Wiley-Blackwell's. 243-265
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, MCCUE, S, BARTSCH, T, DYSON, R, BEGERISEE-DIAZ, M, JENSEN O, BENTAHAR, K, CHENCHIAH, I and NOURI, F. Z.AND ROBERTS, J.A., 2009. Modelling cell separation during Organ Abscission In: Mathematics in the Plant Sciences, Study Group. 1-12
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ZHANG X, PETERS J. L. and ROBERTS J. A., 2009. Interaction between the ubiquitination and miRNA pathways in the regulation of flower development 20th International Conference in Arabidopsis Research. P037, P12
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ZHANG X, PETERS J. L. and ROBERTS J. A., 2009. ... Love me, love me not... a way to increase petal numbers from Arabidopsis. Workshop in mechanisms Controlling Flower Development.. 31
  • ROBERTS J.A AND GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, 2009. Pectinase functions in abscission Stewart Postharvest Review. 5(1), 1-4
  • YANG,T, GONZALEZ-CARRANZA,ZG, MAUNDERS, and ROBERTS, JA, 2008. Ethylene and the Regulation of Senescence Processes in Transgenic Nicotiana sylvestris Plants. Annals of Botany. 101, 301-10
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ZHANG X. and ROBERTS J. A., 2008. The F-box protein HAWAIIAN SKIRT regulates boundary fusion via miRNA processing Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, PART A. 150, P3.12 S189
  • RAMLI, Z, GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ABDULLAH M. O. and ROBERTS J. A., 2008. Manipulation of Arabidopsis orthologue for characterisation of embryogenesis-related genes from the oil palm P087
  • GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z, BERRIO, JC, HOOGHIEMSTRA, H, DUIVENVOORDEN, JF and BEHLING, H, 2008. Changes Of Seasonally Dry Forest In The Colombian Patia Valley During The Early And Middle Holocene And The Development Of A Dry Climatic Record For The Northernmost Andes Review Of Palaeobotany And Palynology. 152(1-2), 1-10
  • ROBERTS, J.A. and GONZALEZ-CARRANZA Z.H., 2007. Abscission Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, Wiley.
  • NAOMAB, E., GATTOLIN, S., ALANDETE-SAEZ, M., ELLIOTT, K., GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z. and ROBERTS, J., 2007. The role of ARR22 and two-component systems during Arabidopsis pod development COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY PART A MOLECULAR AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY. VOL 146(NUMB 4), S270-S271
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, ELLIOTT, K. A and ROBERTS, J. A., 2007. Expression of polygalacturonases during the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana. Jounal of Experimental Botany. 58(13), 3719-3730
  • GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H. AND ROBERTS, J. A., 2007. Cell separation and adhesion in plants. In: GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H and ROBERTS, J. A., eds., Plant Cell Separation and Adhesion 1RST ED. 25. Blackwell Publishing. 1-5 (In Press.)
  • GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H., ROMPA, U., PETERS, J. L., BHATT, A. M., WAGSTAFF, C., STEAD, A. D. and ROBERTS, J. A., 2007. HAWAIIAN SKIRT: An F-Box Gene That Regulates Organ Fusion and Growth in Arabidopsis PLANT PHYSIOLOGY: -ROCKVILLE PIKE BETHESDA-. VOL 144(NUMB 3), 1370-1382
  • BASU, M. M, GONZÁLEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H, AZAM-ALI, S. N. and ROBERTS J. A., 2007. An investigation into the role of plant hormones in Regulating abscission using targeted manipulation approach. Plant and Animal Genomes XV conference.. W307
  • GATTOLIN, S., ALANDETE-SAEZ, M., ELLIOTT, K., GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z., NAOMAB, E., POWELL, C. and ROBERTS, J.A., 2006. Spatial and temporal expression of the response regulators ARR22 and ARR24 in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> Journal of Experimental Botany. 57(15), 4225-4233
  • ROBERTS, J.A AND GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z., ed., 2006. Plant Cell Separation and Adhesion 1st. Oxford:Blackwell.
  • ROSE, J.K., CATALA, C., GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z.H. and ROBERTS, J.A., 2003. Cell wall disassembly. In: ROSE, J.K.C, ed., The Plant Cell Wall 8. Oxford: Blackwell. 264-324
  • GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H., WHITELAW, C. A., SWARUP, R. and ROBERTS, J. A., 2002. Temporal and Spatial Expression of a Polygalacturonase during Leaf and Flower Abscission in Oilseed Rape and Arabidopsis PLANT PHYSIOLOGY -ROCKVILLE PIKE BETHESDA-. VOL 128(PART 2), 534-577
  • ROBERTS, J. A., ELLIOTT, K. A. and GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H., 2002. ABSCISSION, DEHISCENCE, AND OTHER CELL SEPARATION PROCESSES ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY. VOL 53, 131-158
  • ROBERTS, J. A., WHITELAW, C. A., GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H. and MCMANUS, M. T., 2000. Cell Separation Processes in Plants-Models, Mechanisms and Manipulation ANNALS OF BOTANY -LONDON- OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS THEN ACADEMIC PRESS-. VOL 86(PART 2), 223-236
  • GONZALEZ-CARRANZA, Z. H., LOZOYA-GLORIA, E. and ROBERTS, J. A., 1998. Recent developments in abscission: shedding light on the shedding process TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE. VOL 3(NUMBER 1), 10-14

School of Biosciences

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