Scott D. Russell

George Lynn Cross Research Professor of Botany
Director of Samuel Roberts Noble Microscopy Lab
Plant Molecular Embryology / Sexual Plant Reproduction

The goal of my research program is the elucidation of double fertilization mechanisms in flowering plants using rice, Arabidopsis and Plumbago as model systems, with the goal of resolving on a molecular level how gametes develop, recognize one another, fuse and transmit their nuclear and cytoplasmic genome. Recent work has emphasized the gene profiling of pollen and male gametes, with the goal of exploiting the unique attributes of gametes to develop a genetically powerful haploid method for selecting flowering plant characteristics for purposes of transformation and recombination.

Our past approach has principally used structural botany approaches, employing light, fluorescence and electron microscopy. Both male and female gametes are organized as functional units during fertilization. Microtubules and actin in the cytoskeleton of the gametes appear to be crucial to gametic fusion. Since the male gametes are non-motile, their delivery has been of considerable interest recently. Extracellular actin bands in the embryo sac appear to locomote the sperm cells via myosin associations at the surface. By examining these cytoskeletal elements, we hope to determine how fertilization occurs in nature.

Structural work in my lab frequently incorporates the facilities of the well-equipped Samuel Roberts Noble Microscopy Laboratory, which is located adjacent to the Botany and Microbiology Building. The facility contains intermediate voltage transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscop, and freeze fracture. Future research will particularly emphasize molecular characterization of genes involved with fertilization in flowering plants, their expressional patterns and interactions.

Selected Recent Publications:
  • Gou XP, Yuan T, Wei XP, Russell SD. Gene expression in the dimorphic sperm cells of Plumbago zeylanica: Transcript profiling, diversity, and relationship to cell type. Plant Journal 60: 33-47. (DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2009.03934.x) Abstract 2009.
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  • Russell SD "Fertilization in angiosperms." In: Pua Eng Chong and Mike Davey. Plant Developmental Biology-Biotechnological Perspectives. Springer (in press) 2009.
    		•  Corn megaspores
  • Ge LL, Xie CT, Tian HQ, Russell SD. Distribution of calcium in the stigma and style of tobacco during pollen germination and tube growth. Sexual Plant Reproduction 22: 87-96.Abstract 2009.
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  • Singh M, Bhalla P, Russell SD. Molecular repertoire of flowering plant male germ cells. Sexual Plant Reproduction 21: 27-36.Article 2008.
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  • Qiu YL, Liu RS, Xie CT, Russell SD, Tian HQ. Calcium changes during megasporogenesis and megaspore degeneration in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Sexual Plant Reproduction 21: 197-204.Article 2008.
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  • Russell SD, Bhalla PL, Singh MB. Transcriptome-based examination of putative pollen allergens of rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica). Molecular Plant 1: 751-759.Article Supplementary PDF Supplementary Excel spreadsheet 2008.
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  • Ge LL, Tian HQ, Russell SD. Calcium function and distribution during fertilization process of angiosperms. American Journal of Botany 94:1046-1060.http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/94/6/1046 2007.
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  • Yuan T, Fujioka S, Takatsuto S, Matsumoto S, Gou X, Kai H, Russell SD, Li J. BEN1, a gene encoding a dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR)-like protein, regulates the levels of brassinosteroids in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Journal 51: 220-233. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-313X.2007.03129.x?ai=sx&ui=2me8d&af=T 2007.
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    4-N embryo sac
  • He K, Gou X, Yuan T, Lin H, Asami T, Yoshida S, Russell SD, Li J. BAK1 and BKK1 regulate brassinosteroid-dependent growth and brassinosteroid-independent cell-death pathways. Current Biology 17:1109-1115. http://www.current-biology.com/content/article/abstract?uid=PIIS0960982207014157" 2007.
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  • Wang YY, Kuang A, Russell SD, Tian HQ In vitro fertilization as a tool for investigating sexual reproduction of angiosperms. Sexual Plant Reproduction 19: 103-115 [Abstract] 2006.
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  • Wei XP, Gou XP, Yuan T, Russell SD. A highly efficient in vitro plant regeneration system and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Plumbago zeylanica. Plant Cell Reports 25: 513-521 [Abstract] 2006.
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  • Russell SD, Strout GW. Development, polarization and morphogenesis of the generative and sperm cells of Plumbago zeylanica. 2. Quantitative cytology and organelle dynamics. Sexual Plant Reproduction 18: 113-130. 2005.
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  • Yang YH, Qiu YL, Xie CT, Tian HQ, Zhang Z, Russell SD. Isolation of two populations of sperm cells and microelectrophoresis of pairs of sperm cells from pollen tubes of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Sexual Plant Reproduction 18: 47-53. 2005.
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  • Tian HQ, Yuan T, Russell SD. Relationship between double fertilization and the cell cycle in male and female gametes of tobacco. Sexual Plant Reproduction 17: 243-252. 2005.
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  • Weterings K, Russell SD. Experimental analysis of the fertilization process. Plant Cell 16: S107-118. (invited) 2004.
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  • Russell SD. Plant sexuality, cell expression and preferential fertilization. Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 38 (3-4): 349-356 (invited) 2003.
    		•  2-N embryo sac
  • Singh MB, Xu H, Bhalla P, Zhang Z, Swoboda I, Russell SD. Developmental expression of polyubiquitin genes and distribution of ubiquitinated proteins in generative and sperm cells. Sexual Plant Reproduction 14: 325-329. 2002.
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  • Lord EM, Russell SD. Mechanisms of pollination and fertilization. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology 18: 81-105 2002.
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  • Russell, S. D. Female gametogenesis: Ontogenesis of the embryo sac and female gametes. In: "Current Trends in the Embryology of Angiosperms," Bhojwani S, Soh WY (eds), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 65-88. 2001.
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  • Southworth, D. and S. D. Russell. Male gametogenesis: Development and structure of sperm. In: "Current Trends in the Embryology of Angiosperms," Bhojwani SS, Soh WY (eds), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 1-16. 2001.
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  • Tian, H. Q., Z. Zhang, and S. D. Russell. Sperm dimorphism in Nicotiana tabacum L. Sexual Plant Reproduction 14: 123-125. 2001.
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  • Tian, H. Q., H. Zhu, and S. D. Russell. Developmental changes in calcium distribution and accumulation in fertilized and unfertilized ovules and embryo sacs of Plumbago zeylanica. Sexual Plant Reproduction 13: 11-20. 2000.
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    A fuller version of my cv is available for those who are dying to see it, as well as a small collection of my ePrints online (PDF files).

    For more information about this program, contact the Department or Dr. Scott Russell.

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