ASHS 2015 Annual Conference

Gallic acid is a naturally occurring secondary plant metabolite that is believed to function in plant defense by stimulating rapid prickle development as well as activate signal transduction pathways that aid in the chemical defense pathways of the plant.  Interestingly enough, due to the observation of gallic acid’s involvement in prickle development, it can be hypothesized that gallic acid can play a role in the developmental regulation of plant growth.  In this study, the effect of varying concentrations of gallic acid on Rubus callus is investigated through multiple qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques.  It is predicted that a moderate dose of gallic acid will stimulate rapid tissue proliferation and cell cycle changes that mimic those induced by gallic acid in vivo as a defense mechanism, while a high dose of gallic acid will damage the tissue.  After sterile blackberry leaf explants are cultured into a callus state utilizing a Murashige and Skoog media containing thidiazuron, the Rubus callus are exposed to varying concentrations of gallic acid.  Throughout differential gallic acid exposure, the growth of the callus are quantified through area and mass measurements, while gene regulation is monitored through NGS and qPCR. Cell proliferation is quantified through cell cycle analysis and microscopy.Gallic acid is a naturally occurring secondary plant metabolite that is believed to function in plant defense by stimulating rapid prickle development as well as activate signal transduction pathways that aid in the chemical defense pathways of the plant.  Interestingly enough, due to the observation of gallic acid’s involvement in prickle development, it can be hypothesized that gallic acid can play a role in the developmental regulation of plant growth.  In this study, the effect of varying concentrations of gallic acid on Rubus callus is investigated through multiple qualitative analysis techniques.  It is predicted that a moderate dose of gallic acid will stimulate rapid tissue proliferation and cell cycle changes that mimic those induced by gallic acid in vivo as a defense mechanism, while a high dose of gallic acid will damage the tissue.  After sterile blackberry leaf explants are cultured into a callus state utilizing a Murashige and Skoog media containing thidiazuron, the Rubus callus are exposed to varying concentrations of gallic acid.  Throughout differential gallic acid exposure, the growth of the callus are quantified through area and mass measurements, gene regulation is monitored through NGS and qPCR, and cell proliferation is quantified through cell cycle analysis and microscopy.