One of the most important differences between plant and animal cells is that plant cells have an extracellular structure called the cell wall that surrounds the protoplast. For plants, cell wall controls growth, morphogenesis, and interactions with the environment. For humans, cell wall polysaccharides and proteoglycans are important raw materials in the wood, paper, textile, fuel, and food industries. Thus, a good understanding of the biosynthesis of these macromolecules is a crucial step to improve plant development and production as a sustained source for our needs.
My laboratory aims to investigate two aspects of cell wall biology using Arabidopsis and wheat as models, and using a multi-disciplinary approach that includes genomic, biochemical, and proteomic strategies.

• One of the central issues in plant biology is how plant cell wall polysaccharides and proteoglycans are synthesized, transported, and then integrated into the cell wall. Less than 10% of the enzymes involved in these processes are identified. Therefore, our goal is to identify the genes involved and dissect their regulation at the molecular level.

• The other area of research focuses on elucidating the importance of the cross talk between the cell wall and the plasma membrane. This interaction can be crucial regulatory events for important physiological processes. Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan-proteins (FLA-like AGPs) are though to be involved in such interaction. Using bioinformatics approach, we identified and cloned several FLA-like AGP candidates in wheat and rice genomes and functional analysis is underway.

• Matthew Shipp, Ramya Nadella, Hui Gao, Vladimir Farkas, Hans Sigrist and Ahmed Faik. 2007. Glyco-array technology for efficient monitoring of plant cell wall glycosyltransferase activities. Glycoconjugate J DOI 10.1007/s10719-007-9060-1
• A. Faik, J. Abouzouhair, F. Sarhan. 2006. Putative Fasciclin-like Arabinogalactan Proteins (FLA) in Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Rice (Oryza sativa): Identification and Bioinformatic Analyses. Molecular Genetics and Genomics 276, 478-494
• J. Egelund, B.L. Peterson, M.S. Motawia, I. Damager, A. Faik, C.E. Olsen, T. Ishii, H. Clausen, P. Ulvskov, N. Geshi. 2006. Biosynthesis of Pectic Rhamnogalacturonan II: Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Golgi-Localized alpha(1, 3) Xylosyltransferases Encoded by RGXT1 and RGXT2 Genes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell 18, 2593-2607
• A. Faik, NJ. Price, NV. Raikhel and K. Keegstra. 2002. An Arabidopsis gene encoding an alpha-xylosyltransferase involved in xyloglucan biosynthesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 99(11), 7797-7802
• R. Sarria, TA. Wagner, M. O’Neill, A. Faik, C. Wilkerson, K. Keegstra and NV. Raikhel. 2001. Characterization of a family of Arabidopsis genes related to xyloglucan fucosyltransferase. Plant Physiol. 127, 1595-1606
• A. Faik, M. Bar-Peled, AE. DeRocher, W. Zeng, RM. Perrin, C. Wilkerson, NV. Raikhel and K. Keegstra. 2000. Biochemical Characterization and Molecular Cloning of an alpha(1,2)Fucosyltransferase that Catalyzes the last Step of Cell Wall Xyloglucan Biosynthesis in Pea. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 15082-15089
• A. Faik, D. Desveaux and G. Maclachlan. 2000. Sugar-nucleotide-binding and autoglycosylating polypeptide(s) from nasturtium: Biochemical capacities and potential functions. Biochem. J. 347, 857-864
• A-M. LabourŽ, A. Faik, P. Mandaron and D. Falconet. 1999. RGD-dependent growth of Maize and immunodetection of an integrin-like protein. FEBS Lett. 442, 123-128
• D. Desveaux, A. Faik and G. Maclachlan. 1998. Fucosyltransferase and the biosynthesis of storage and structural xyloglucan in developing nasturtium fruits. Plant Physiol. 118, 884-895
• A Faik, D. Desveaux and G. Maclachlan. 1998. Enzymic activities responsible for xyloglucan depolymerization by extracts of developing tomato fruit. Phytochem. 49, 365-376
• A. Faik, A-M. LabourŽ, D. Gulino, P. Mandaron and D. Falconet (1998) A plant surface protein sharing structural properties with animal integrins. Eur. J. Biochem. 253(3), 552-559
• A. Faik, C. Chileshe, J. Sterling and G. Maclachlan. 1997. Xyloglucan galactosyl and fucosyltransferase activities from pea epicotyl microsomes. Plant Physiol. 114, 245-254
• A. Faik, G. Chambat and J-P. Joseleau. 1995. Changes in wall-bound polysaccharidase activities during the cell cycle of Rubus fructicosus suspension culture. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 17(6), 381-385