SBASSE Biology Talk 2018
Metabolic Engineering of Cholesterol and Steroidal Glycoalkaloid Biosynthesis Results in Plant Defense Reinforcement in the Solanaceae Family
Guest Speaker: Dr. Usman Arif
Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 noon
Venue: Dean’s Smart Lab, 4th floor, SBASSE, LUMS
Host: Dr. Amir Faisal
Abstract
Plants display an array of secondary metabolites that play pivotal role in plant defense, interaction with environment and pharmaceutical industry. In some Solanaceae family members, Steroidal glycoalkaloid (SGA) are specialized metabolites that contribute to plant defense against insects and pathogens. There is little information available about SGA biosynthesis although cholesterol is generally considered as possible precursor of SGA. This talk will cover identification and characterisation of key genes catalysing rate-limiting steps involved in cholesterol and SGA biosynthesis
About the Speaker
Dr. Usman Arif earned his PhD Biology from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden and did his Postdoctorate at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden. Currently he is working as Assistant Professor at Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
