Professor Jim Dunwell

These are focussed in three areas.

First, I have a particular interest in the structure, function, and evolution of the cupin superfamily of functionally-diverse plant proteins (see below). These include the seed storage proteins, the germins (cereal oxalate oxidases), the germin-like proteins, auxin binding proteins and a variety of other prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins. In particular we are investigating the conservation of the active site residues within these proteins.

The second is the application of Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) technology to the study of gene expression in plants, in particular in the cereals rice and wheat.

The third is the development of novel breeding methods and applications of transgenic plants. This includes novel techniques for DNA introduction into plant cells, and the use of new methods for regeneration from single somatic cells.