Yu, Pui Man. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-78). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Abstract --- p.v / Table of Contents --- p.ix / List of Figures --- p.xii / List of Tables --- p.xiv / List of Abbreviations --- p.xv / Chapter Chapter 1. --- General Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- The importance of terpenoids --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- The difficulties in synthesizing terpenoids --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Structure and classification of terpenoids --- p.9 / Chapter 2.4 --- MVA and MEP pathways of terpenoid biosynthesis in higher plants --- p.12 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- The MVA pathway --- p.16 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- The MEP pathway --- p.18 / Chapter 2.5 --- The crosstalk between MVA and MEP routes --- p.20 / Chapter 2.6 --- The farnesyl diphosphate is a key enzyme in terpenoid biosynthetic pathway --- p.20 / Chapter 2.7 --- The glutaredoxin system --- p.22 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- Materials and Methods --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1 --- Plant materials and growth condition --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2 --- DNA extraction and screening of fps mutants --- p.25 / Chapter 3.3 --- Validation of the fps mutant by semi-quantitative RT-PCR --- p.26 / Chapter 3.4 --- Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the fps mutants --- p.28 / Chapter 3.5 --- Genechip analysis of fps mutants --- p.29 / Chapter 3.6 --- Enzyme assays --- p.29 / Chapter 3.7 --- Triterpene and sterol analysis of fps mutants --- p.30 / Chapter 3.8 --- Preparation of carotenoid standards for carotenoid analysis --- p.31 / Chapter 3.9 --- Carotenoids analysis of fps mutants by HPLC --- p.31 / Chapter 3.10 --- Subcellular localization of FPS 1 and FPS2 by transient expression --- p.33 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- Results --- p.36 / Chapter 4.1 --- Screening of fpsl and fps2 homozygous mutants --- p.36 / Chapter 4.2 --- Validation of fps mutants by RT-PCR and enzyme activity assay --- p.36 / Chapter 4.3 --- Genechip analysis of two fps mutants --- p.40 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Quality control and normalization of microarray sample --- p.40 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Normalization and identification of differentially expressed genes --- p.42 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- GO annotation of differentially expressed genes in fps mutants --- p.43 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Genes participate in stress and defense response were differentially expressed in both fpsl and fps2 mutants --- p.48 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Genes in the plastidial pathway were down-regulated --- p.51 / Chapter 4.4 --- Effects of FPS mutations on pathway enzymes --- p.53 / Chapter 4.5 --- Effects of fps mutants on terpenoids and sterol metabolism --- p.55 / Chapter 4.6 --- Comparison on carotenoids and chlorophyll contents --- p.55 / Chapter 4.7 --- Subcellular localization of FPS 1 and FPS2 --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- Discussion --- p.62 / Chapter Chapter 6. --- Conclusion --- p.67 / Reference --- p.68 / Appendices --- p.79 / Appendix A. Primers designed for homozygous mutant screening for fps mutants --- p.79 / "Appendix B. Primer pairs designed for fps ORF, common sequence and fpsl specific region" --- p.80 / Appendix C. Primer pairs designed for studying expression level of the downstream genes of FPS --- p.81 / Appendix D. Annotations of differentially expressed genes in fpsl mutant --- p.82 / Appendix E. Annotations of differentially expressed genes in fps2 mutant --- p.84 / Appendix F. Log fold changes of terpenoid pathway genes involved in FPS mutants --- p.94