Badey, Nikil, B2020-06-192020-06-192020-06https://hdl.handle.net/11299/214000The genetic architecture of both well-characterized (WUS box, EAR-like, etc.) and less studied domains in WUS proteins are subject for genetic alteration. WUS has been shown as a bifunctional transcription factor that primarily acts as a repressor. By mutating the functional domains (WOX homeobox domain, WUS-box domain, EAR-like domain, acidic domain) of the WUS protein, their role can be determined in the regulation of stem cell identity. The WOX homeobox domain is a helix-loop-helix which is the DNA binding domain that allows for WUS to properly bind its DNA targets. WUS box and EAR-like are domains that allow WUS to function primarily as a repressor. Finally, the acidic region has been shown to be an activation domain that primarily acts during floral patterning. However, if mutated, it can eliminate the activities of WUS including the induction of expression of its downstream targets. Based on the activities of these functional domains WUS can thus be characterized as a repressor or activator. Overexpression of WUS causes uncontrolled cell division that is coordinated through its repressor domains. Ikeda et al. shows the WUS box as an essential feature for cell division functions. Through the usage of Green Fluorescence Protein tagging, as show through the work of Rodriguez et al., different WUS mutants were tagged and found that certain domains are required to localize WUS in the central zone of the meristem, creating a good mutation target. Through the removal of the dimerization domain or exon 2, the delocalization of WUS produces a variant that can induce more growths and shoots. To test the hypotheses, Fast-TrACC (Fast-Treated Agrobacterium Co-Culture) will be utilized using A. tumefaciens culture to deliver a luciferase reporter along with the developmental regulator WUS to promote meristem formation.This research aims to optimize developmental transporter, AtWUS by removing the dimerization domain found in exon 2 of the protein. By removing the dimerization domain, we were able to achieve a more sustainable and efficient system of growth unlike previous model comparisons of AtWUS.enGene EditingCloningSynthetic BiologyGenetic EngineeringPlant BiologyGeneticsPlant EngineeringPresentation