Carolyn M. Wetzel
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Cornell University

Phone: (413) 585-3687
Office: 214 Sabin-Reed Hall
Email: cwetzel@email.smith.edu

Courses:

Fall

Bio 262 Plant Biology
Bio 363 Plant Biology Laboratory

Spring
Bio 110 Island Biology

Bio 150 Cells, Physiology & Development

Bio 312 Plant Physiology
Bio 313 Plant Physiology Laboratory

Research Interests:

Plastids are amazing plant cellular organelles that can exist in several different forms. The most commonly known and visible plastid type is the chloroplast characterized by its green color due to accumulation of chlorophyll. Chloroplasts carry out many different essential biochemical processes, including photosynthesis, fatty acid synthesis, sulfur and nitrogen assimilation, and hormone synthesis, among others. The next most commonly seen plastids are chromoplasts (red, yellow, orange types found in fruit and autumn leaves) and amyloplasts (the starchy plastids in potatoes, for example). Plastids are dynamic and can convert between types when given the correct developmental signals. The research in my lab examines the role of certain proteins in the function and development of chloroplasts and chromoplasts. We make use of model plant systems (Arabidopsis thaliana, Arabidopsis and Lycopersicon esculentum, tomato) and use molecular genetic, physiological, and biochemical approaches in our research.

Representative Publications:

Bruno, Arianna K and Wetzel, Carolyn M. (2004). The Early Light Inducible Protein (ELIP) gene is expressed during the chloroplast-to-chromoplast transition in ripening tomato fruit. Journal of Experimental Botany 55: 2541-2548. http://jxb.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/erh273?ijkey=14d1VsiJSlDKs&keytype=ref

Zheng, Ping, Wetzel, Carolyn, Ammar, Karim, Girard, Anne-Marie Michelle, Rodermel, Steve, Thomas, David R., Ning, Li, Callis, James B., Edwards, Gerry E., and Larry Daley. (2002) Test of an in vivo method to detect chloroplast division in crop plants. Part II: Verification of the phenomenon by germplasm methods and confocal microscopy. Spectroscopy 17(9):14-18.

Zheng, Ping, Wettzel (journal's misspelling), Carolyn, Ammar, Karim, Girard, Anne-Marie Michelle, Rodermel, Steve, Thomas, David R., Ning, Li, Callis, James B., Edwards, Gerry E., and Larry Daley. (2002) Test of an in vivo method to detect chloroplast division in crop plants. Part I: Discovery of the phenomenon. Spectroscopy 17(4): 16-25.

Wu, Dongying, Wright, David A., Wetzel, Carolyn, Voytas, Daniel F., and Steven Rodermel (1999) The IMMUTANS variegation locus of Arabidopsis defines a mitochondrial alternative oxidase homolog that functions during early chloroplast biogenesis. Plant Cell 11: 43-56.

Wetzel, Carolyn M. and Steven R. Rodermel. (1998) Regulation of phytoene desaturase expression in A. thaliana is independent of leaf pigment content. Plant Molecular Biology 37: 1045-1053.

Wetzel, Carolyn M., Jiang, Cai-Zhong, Meehan, LeAnn J., Voytas, Daniel F., and Steven R. Rodermel. (1994) Nuclear-organelle interactions: The immutans variegation mutant of A. thaliana is plastid autonomous and impaired in carotenoid biosynthesis. The Plant Journal 6: 161-175.