This program was designed to actively engage students in exciting biological research projects of their own design. The projects focus on peroxidases, which form a large family of related enzymes that are ubiquitous in plants. Plant peroxidase isoenzymes can be tissue specific, developmentally regulated and display variable tissue and, high salt and disease resistance defense reactions and this induction may be related to the abilities of peroxidases to strengthen the plant cell wall and to kill microorganisms.
The chloroplast genome of higher plants is relatively small and simple. This genome contains about 120 genes which code for chloroplast proteins. The organelle's genome also contains ribosomal RNA genes which code for the RNA components of the chloroplast ribosome. In this program, students identify the ribosomal RNA genes in the chloroplast genome of spinach. Students first isolate chloroplasts from fresh spinach and then prepare DNA from the isolated organelle. The DNA is digested with EcoR1, electrophoresed, and the separated fragments transferred to a nylon membrane.