Plant Biochemistry Questions

1995

"How is flux through the Calvin Cycle (the reductive pentose phosphate
pathway) coordinated with the 'light reactions' of photosynthesis?"

"Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of crassulacean acid metabolism
to plants that carry out such metabolism."

1996

"Describe the principal features of higher plant nitrogen metabolism, and
explain how the availability of mutants and transgenic plants has
contributed to out knowledge in this area."

1997

"How are the pathways of sucrose and starch synthesis coordinated during
photosynthesis?"

Or

"Discuss the proposal that the process of carbohydrate oxidation in plants
is not only different from that in animals, but is also more complex."

"Is photorespiration inevitable?"

"Compare and contrast the nitrogen fixation and denitrification reactions
of the nitrogen cycle."

1998

"Discuss the role played by membrane transporters in the regulation of
plant metabolism."

"What factors influence photorespiration?  Discuss the implications of
this pathway for the use of metabolic resources in leaves."

"Describe the enzymology of nitrogen fixation to ammonia.  Explain how and
why the expression of this nitrogen fixation system is regulated."

1999

"How can genetic manipulation be used to alter metabolism in
plants?  Illustrate your answer with reference to sucrose metabolism and
transport."

"Describe the mechanisms that allow either plants or bacteria to acquire,
assimilate and retain nitrogen.  Include a discussion of the
compartmentation of the relevant pathways."

"Many pathogenic bacteria express their pathogenic phenotype only when in
specific locations within a host.  Using specific examples, describe how
the organisms senses that it is within a host, and the responses to this
sensory input."

2000

Either

"Discuss the roles and regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in
plants."

Or

"To what extent can the kinetic properties of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate
carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) explain the characteristics of
photosynthesis in higher plants?"

"Evaluate the contribution of genetic manipulation to our understanding of
regulation of non-photosynthetic metabolism in plants."