Functional Characterization of a Moonlighting Protein in Heavy Metal Accumulation in Rice
With PSI faculty advisor Harkamal Walia, graduate research assistant Shohei Oguro has potentially identified a moonlighting protein—a protein independently serving multiple functions—that reduces the uptake of heavy metals in rice.
Rice, consumed by more than half of the world's population, represents a significant source of heavy metal exposure to humans. Shohei's project seeks to identify the mechanisms that limit heavy metal uptake in grains.
His research could identify a target gene for rice breeders to improve food safety and mitigate human health risks, and be applied to other crops such as wheat and maize.