Rachel Hubbard

• Bsc (Hons) Biology
• The role of β-amylase 9 in starch degradation in the CAM plant Kalanchoe fedstchenkoi

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is a special form of photosynthesis that enables plants to grow with up to 80% less water than plants with more conventional forms of photosynthesis. This because the stomata (microscopic pores on leaves) open in the dark when it is cool and close during the day when it is warmer and drier. The route by which starch is degraded is fundamental for CAM to function. The project will test that hypothesis that the protein β- amylase 9 (BAM 9) plays a role in starch degradation and therefore is needed for CAM to function properly.

Funding Source: Newcastle University