Shin-ichi Arimura (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo)
Modification of higher plant mitochondrial genome and establishment of new cytoplasmic male sterility
Mitochondria is a potential modification target for improving plant yield and attenuating atmospheric CO2 concentration. However, transformation of mitochondrial genome is still impossible in multicellular organisms including higher plants. As the first step, I will try to disrupt some genes on the mitochondrial genomes by artificial restriction enzymes that are being recently highly developed. As the next steps, I will try to get new cytoplasmic male sterile lines and to introduce new genes into the mitochondrial genome.
Homepage: http://park.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/pmg/