One of the consequences predicted for global warming and climate change is increasing danger of drought in certain areas of the planet. Israelis already know well the challenges of living and farming under dry conditions. But a recent grant to Dr. Daniel Schachtman, a scientist at the Creve Coeur-based Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, may lead to greater understanding of how plants cope with drought and perhaps the development of crops with greater resistance to drought.

Schachtman will soon begin work on research to explore drought resistance and response in plant roots in conjunction with the Weizmann Institute for Science in Israel. The research is being supported by a grant arranged by Sara Lee Schupf, through her family’s Lubin Family Foundation. Sara Lee Schupf is the namesake of the Sara Lee Corporation, which was founded by her father, Charles Lubin.

The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world’s premier multidisciplinary research institutes. The Weizmann Institute works to advance science for the benefit of humanity and to strengthen Israel through science and technology. More than 2,500 scientists, technicians and research students work at the Institute, which is based in Revohot, Israel.

Philanthropist Sara Lee Schupf is a past president of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, which provides support for the Weizmann Institute. She created its biennial Weizmann Women and Science Award, established to recognize outstanding women scientists.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science center is a not-for-profit research organization that uses molecular biology and genetic modification techniques to increase the nutritional content of crops and to increase agricultural productivity. More recently, the Danforth Center has expanded its research efforts to include the production of biofuels from plants.

The hope is that Schachtman’s research will lead to increased drought tolerance in crops, an issue in water-scarce locations such as Israel and in sub-Saharan Africa. The research will focus on plant roots.

“Daniel is a root man,” said Dr. Roger Beachy, president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, smiling broadly while speaking of Dr. Schachtman’s research focus.

Overall, Schachtman’s work focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which plant roots regulate their intake of minerals and sense changes in soil conditions. “When soils begin to dry, roots transmit signals to leaves to reduce their water usage and growth,” said Schachtman.

The Danforth Center worked closely with Sara Lee Schupf to develop a research project in collaboration with the Weizmann Institute. “We explored several ideas for a project before settling on this one,” said Beachy. Schachtman’s interest in the research of one scientist at the Weizmann Institute was key.

“There is a scientist [named] Asaph Aharoni, a biochemist at the Weizmann Institute, and he works on genes that are controlling wax formation in plants,” said Schachtman. “Waxes are important in plants for many different reasons but as they relate to drought tolerance, you can imagine that plants can lose a lot of water from leaves. Many of them have what are called cuticular waxes, waxes on the leaf that prevent evaporation from all over the leaf surface. Plants have these little pores in the leaf called stomata. They open and close and allow the plant to release water and take up CO2 for photosynthesis. Outside of these stomates, the leaf is pretty well sealed with these waxes.”

“He (Aharoni) has found genes that are involved in the formation of these waxes,” Schachtman said.

When Asaph Aharoni came to the Danforth Center last year, Schachtman was particularly interested in what he had to say about his work. “I had thought, on and off for about 10 years, about how these waxes may have an impact on root function and drought tolerance,” said Schachtman.

That interest evolved into the project that Sara Lee Schupf is funding. “What we are trying to do with this project is study these waxes…and the effect of these waxes in roots,” said Schachtman. “Roots have the same sort of issues that leaves have. In a certain part of the root, you have this layer that sort of prevents the movement of a lot of things into the root. Specifically we are interested in how we can change the formation of this wax in roots and what sort of impact that has on salinity tolerance and also drought tolerance. The wax in roots should control, to a certain extent, water uptake and water loss from the roots. It is an area that no one has really explored in detail yet.”

“With salinity tolerance, you are thinking about the plant taking up toxic (levels) of sodium, and how to prevent this to some extent,” he said.

Work on the project has already begun in Israel and Schachtman is expected to start on his portion in September. Schachtman’s research will use Arabidopis, a popular plant for research studies. The Weizmann Institute also hopes to adapt the results for crop plants grown in dry climates.

Both Schachtman and Sara Schupf come from Jewish families. Although he does not belong to a local congregation, Schachtman said that he felt that the Jewish tradition of respect for learning influenced his career choice. Schachtman, who grew up in Skokie, Ill., started out in economics and agriculture, before he switched to science. “I told my father that I was thinking about going into science,” he said. “Even though it might mean I would be making less money, he was totally supportive.”

“There is a great tradition of scientists who are Jewish, and we are all striving to add to that,” he said.

Schachtman decided to focus on plant roots, which fewer scientists study. While Schachtman noted that roots are more difficult to study because they are less accessible than leaves, he pointed out that they are also vitally important, since they are the way in which the plants draw nutrients from soil.

Ms. Schupf was particularly concerned that the project included opportunities for young scientists, especially women, and so new positions were created for the project.

“Science is a very competitive field,” said Schachtman. “So this is a very good idea. I always try to encourage the young people in my lab.”

Schachtman will speak at a public event at the Danforth Center on Aug. 28, following the groundbreaking for a new greenhouse devoted to biofuels research and funded by the Jack Taylor family as part of their Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute For Renewable Fuels at the Danforth Center. Schachtman will be one of the speakers and the talk is part of the Danforth Center’s free “Conversations” speakers series on their research. The groundbreaking takes place at 4 p.m., followed by a reception and then the talk at 5:15 p.m.

Schachtman will be speaking on his research to increase the zinc and iron content of cassava, an important root crop in Africa and other areas, a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The event is open to the public. For more information, call 314-587-1073 or to learn more about the Danforth Plant Science Center, visit the center’s website at www.danforthcenter.org.