Chemical inhibitors of hormone synthesis or signaling are powerful tools that yield invaluable information about hormone function. Triadimefon, propiconazole, and spironolactone are just a few of the compounds identified to inhibit the function of brassinosteroids (BR). Which of the following are probable physiological effects due to the inhibition of BR? Check all that apply.

Question

_____  reduced mitotic activity
_____  rapid aging
_____  reduced xylem and phloem differentiation
_____  increased stem length

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about brassinosteroids? How does it relate to the question?
 
Consider Possibilities
  · What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

__X__  reduced mitotic activity
__X__  rapid aging
__X__  reduced xylem and phloem differentiation
_____  increased stem length

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question is asking about the function of brassinosteroids.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o You are being asked to take what you already know and apply it to the loss of a plant hormone.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Brassinosteroids, which are a class of plant hormones.
        o Inhibition, which refers to restricting a process.
        o Physiological, which refers to processes that occur in living things.
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about brassinosteroids? How does it relate to the question?
        o Brassinosteroids are responsible for a broad spectrum of physiological responses in plants.
 
Consider Possibilities
  · What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Brassinosteroids function in stem elongation, so inhibition of these hormones would not lengthen the stem.
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Inhibiting brassinosteroids would disrupt elongation, cell division, vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) tissue development and speed up aging in plant.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
· Apply level:
        o This question asked you to assess the importance of brassinosteroids.  Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to use the functions of brassinosteroids in a new situation.  If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember that brassinosteroids promote stem elongation and other processes? Did you have trouble extending the function of brassinosteroids to determine the correct answer?