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Show posters on the hill \ Identifying Genes That Control Plant Development !l Louise Saw, Jaimie Van Norman, Leslie Sieburth * Department of Biology pie depend on plants for many things thai contribute to their quality of lite. (demif> iny genes required for plant growth ami development can provide valuable tools people can use, tor example to increase crop y ield. Plant Architecture Io iHRfctMund plain sjttmih .iini i!c\cft»ptTwm ;» a molecular !e\cl, hc u-.f tlic ptoni mtxid organism Arabiilopsis lb;tliaiia. ! hi?, is a shi»v» ing the tia>k growth archil ccturt: of Aiabidiipsis ji!;i(ii-. \. 0. and U are wild type (nonnal) plums ami B. C. E. F. H. I, and J are bpx3-2 mutants plants. A-C arc planls at 9 days (size bars "I mm). [)-l: are plants al 20 da>s (si/o han I" mini. G-J are plants Identifying Genes That Control Plant Development two genes that are closely related to BPS1; we call these genes BYPASS2 and BYPASS3. The BPS1 and BPS2 amino acid sequences are 61% identical. The BPS1 and BPS3 amino acid sequences are 57% identical. Because bpsl mutants show severe developmental defects, we hypothesize that BPS2 and BPS3 may also play fundamental roles in plant development. To test this, we have obtained plants with mutations in the BPS2 and BPS3 genes. Preliminary analysis showed that mature bps2 and bps3 mutant plants had morphological defects. To understand how the loss of BPS2 and BPS3 activity affects plant growth, I am identifying the earliest developmental defects in bps2 and bps3 mutants. I am quantifying differences in root and shoot gravitropism, root length, hy-pocotyl length and lateral root development. These studies will lead to a greater understanding of plant developmental mechanisms. Louise Saw, Jaimie Van Norman, Leslie Sieburth Department of Biology he overall goal of our lab is to understand the molecular basis for plant development. We are using a genetic approach and are identifying plant developmental control genes through the characterization of mutants that disrupt normal development. These studies use the plant model system Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous work in our lab has shown that the BYPASS 1 (BPS 1) gene is required for normal root and shoot development. Plants with mutations in the BPS 1 gene result in a previously undescribed root derived signal that regulates leaf development. These studies indicate that BPS1 is a negative regulator of signal production, although its mechanism of action is unknown because the BPS1 gene product contains no recognizable functional domains. The Arabidopsis genome contains |
