Brad Binder

See Also: Binder Lab

 

Research Statement

I am interested in understanding the control of growth and development in plants. Because plants are sessile, one of the main ways they respond to alterations in their environment is through altered growth. These alterations in growth are mediated by a variety of phytohormones; most of  my work is on the phytohormone ethylene. Ethylene is a gas produced by plants that regulates and influences many critical physiological and developmental processes making it of agricultural, horticultural and economic importance to understand its mode of action and to more fully understand how it affects plants.

Most of the research in the lab currently focuses on ethylene signal transduction. Ethylene receptors were the first plant hormone receptors cloned and a great deal is known about the signal transduction pathway. However there are still gaps in our understanding of this pathway. One focus of research in my lab is on the structure and function of the ethylene binding domain. Some of our goals with this are to characterize the ethylene binding pocket and define the conformational changes that occur when ethylene binds to the receptor. Another focus is on the signal output of the receptors. While the receptors have been shown to have protein kinase activity, this activity is not crucial for receptor function. Thus, we are working towards defining the output of the receptors. This is complicated by our observation that there are likely to be multiple outputs from the receptors. A third focus is on better defining components down-stream of the receptors and interactions with other hormone signaling pathways. To pursue these projects we combine biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and physiology. One physiological approach that has been particularly  informative lately is high-resolution, time-lapse imaging of growing seedlings. Using this coupled with biochemistry and molecular biology has led to new insights about ethylene signaling and responses. This multifaceted approach is allowing us to gain a better understanding of ethylene signal transduction and the complexity of interactions between ethylene and other signaling systems in plants.

For more details about my research visit my Lab Page.

Selected Publications

Ruiqiang C, Binder BM, Garrett WM, Tucker ML, Cooper B, and Chang C (2011) Proteomic Responses in Arabidopsis thaliana Seedlings Treated with Ethylene.Molecular Biosystems. In press. DOI: 10.1039/c1mb05159h

Binder BM, Schaller GE, Chang, C. (2011) Perception of Ethylene by Plants- Ethylene Receptors. IN: The Plant Hormone Ethylene (MT McManus, ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. In press.

Kim H, Helmbrecht E, Stalans MB, Schmitt CL, Patel N, Wen C-K, Wang W, Binder BM (2011) Domain Requirements for Different Roles of the ETR1 Ethylene Receptor. Plant Physiology. 156: 417-429.

Binder BM, Rodriguez FI, Bleecker AB. (2010). The Copper Transporter RESPONSIVE-TO-ANTAGONIST1 (RAN1) is Essential for the Biogenesis of Ethylene Receptors in Arabidopsis. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 285: 37263-37270

Chen Y-F, Gao Z, Kerris RJ, Wang W, Binder BM, Schaller GE (2010) Ethylene Receptors Function as Components of High-Molecular-Mass Protein Complexes in Arabidopsis. PLoS ONE. 5:e8640. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008640.

Christians MJ, Ginerich DJ, Hansen M, Binder BM, Kieber JJ, Vierstra RD (2009) The BTB Ubiqutin Ligases ETO1, EOL1 and EOL2 Act Collectively to Regulate Ethylene Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis by Controlling Type-2 ACC Synthase Levels. The Plant Journal. 57: 332-345

Binder BM and Patterson SE (2009) Ethylene-dependent and –independent regulation of Abscission. Stewart Postharvest Review. 5(1): 1-10.

Schotsmans WC, Prange RK, Binder BM (2009) 1-Methylcyclopropene: Mode of Action and Relevance in Postharvest Horticultural Research. Horticultural Reviews35: 263-313.

Gao Z, Wen C-K, Binder BM, Chang J, Chiang Y-H, Kerris III RJ, Chang C, Schaller GE. (2008). Heteromeric Interactions Among Ethylene Receptors of Arabidopsis.Journal of Biological Chemistry. 283: 23801-23810.

Pirrung MC, Bleecker AB, Inoue Y, Rodriguez FI, Sugawara N, Wada T, Zou Y, Binder BM (2008) Ethylene Receptor Antagonists: Strained Alkenes Are Necessary But Not Sufficient. Chemistry and Biology. 15: 313-321.

[Pubmed List of Papers]

 

Contact Information

Office:
Room 343
Hesler Biology Building
Phone: (865) 974-7994

Lab:
Room 106
Helser Biology Building

Phone: (865) 974-7997
Email: bbinder@utk.edu