Robert Goldberg
email: bobg@ucla.edu
phone: (310) 825-9093
office: 2203 LSB
lab: 2835
homepage: http://www.mcdb.ucla.edu/Research/Goldberg
Research Interests
My laboratory is investigating how plant cells become specialized during development. Specifically, we are attempting to identify genes that are responsible for establishing the differentiated state of plant cells during two periods of plant development: embryogenesis and male reproductive organ development. Currently, we are employing a combination of genetic and molecular approaches to answer this question. Genetic studies are being carried out in Arabidopsis plants to identify genes that control the differentiation of embryo cell types as well as morphological form during embryonic development. Arabidopsis is also being used to identify genes controlling cell specificity and form during anther development. Currently, over 50 insertion tagged mutants have been identified that are either embryo lethal or male sterile. Experiments are in progress to isolate the mutant genes. In addition, cytotoxic and anti-cytotoxic genes are being used to study cell/cell interactions during embryo and anther development. These ablation studies have indicated that one anther cell type (the tapetum) develops in a cell-autonomous manner and is not required for the differentiation of contiguous anther cell types. The cell ablation studies have also been used to genetic engineer for male fertility control in higher plants, which is now the basis of a novel breeding strategy for hybrid crop plants, such as corn, oilseed rape, and rice.
Selected Publications
Xiao, W., Custard,K.D., Brown, R.C., Lemmon, B.E., Harada,J.J., Goldberg, R.B., and Fischer, R.L.. 2006. DNA Methylation is crtical for Arabidopsis embryogenesis and seed viability Plant Cell : - .
Gehring,M.; Huh,J.H., Hisieh, T-F, Penterman,J., Choi, Y., Harada,J.J., Goldberg, R.B., and Fisher, R.L.. 2006. DEMETER DNA glycolosylase establishes MEDEA polycomb self-imprinting by allele-specific demethylation Cell 124: 495-506 .
Ohto, M-a., Fischer, R.L., Goldberg, R.B., Nakamura, K., and Harada, J.J.. 2005. Control of seed mass by APETELA2 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci 102: 3123-3128 .
Sanders, P.M., Bui, A.Q., Le, B.H., and Goldberg, R.B.. 2005. Differentiation and degeneration of cells that play a major role in tobacco anther dehiscence Sex. Plant. Reprod 17: 219-241 .
Yamagishi,K. Nagata,N., Yee,K.M., Braybrooks,S.A., Pelletier,J., Fujioka,S., Yoshida,S., Fischer,R.L., Goldberg, R.B., and Harada,J.J.. 2005. TANMEI/EMB2757 encodes a WD repeat protein required for embryo and vegetative development in Arabidopsis Plant Physiology 139: 163-173 .
Hamilton,R., Flavell,R.B., and Goldberg,R.B.. 2005. Plant Biotechnology: Advances in Energy, and Health EJOURNALUSA. Economic Perspectives 10: 17-20 [link].
Goldberg, R.B.. 2004. To eat or not Editorial, Los Angeles Daily News : - .
Choi, Y., Harada, J.J., Goldberg, R. B., and Fischer, R.L.. 2004. An invariant amino acid in the DNA glycosylase domain of DEMETER is necessary for transcriptional activation of the imprinted MEDIA gene Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101: 7481-7486 .
Goldberg, R.B.. 2004. Plant reproduction - Ten years later Plant Cell : s1-s2 .
Kwong, R. L., Bui, A. Q., Lee, H-s., Kwong, L. W., Fischer, R. L., Goldberg, R. B., and Harada, J. J.. 2003. LEAFY COTYLEDON1-LIKE defines a class of regulators essential for embryo development Plant Cell 15: 5-18 .