| Abstract Detail
Growth and Vegetative Development Davis, Manli [1], Morohashi, Kengo [2], Erich, Grotewold [2], Rebecca, Lamb [2]. Plant Infantry: Arabidopsis thaliana trichomes as defense organs. Control of gene transcription is of central importance in the development of any organism. Hierarchical arrangements (networks) of transcription factors (TFs) provide the information necessary to deploy genes with particular spatial and temporal patterns. It has been predicted that there are over 1,700 TFs encoded in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. Many of these TFs are involved in various developmental processes but only a handful of them have known function. As part of our research on TFs, we are studying TFs involved in trichome initiation: GLABROUS3 (GL3)/ENHANCER OF GLABROUS3 (EGL3), GLABROUS1 (GL1) and TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1). These genes encode bHLH, MYB and WD repeat proteins respectively; gl3 egl3 double mutants and gl1 or ttg1 single mutants are glabrous. These proteins have been shown to form a transcriptional complex necessary for trichome initiation. The identification of the targets of these genes will provide information about the developmental processes of trichome development and the regulatory network involved in this process. As a complement to this avenue of investigation, we are also comparing gene expression between gl3 egl3, gl1 and ttg1 mutants and wild type in order to identify other trichome-enriched genes: 88 genes have significantly reduced expression in all three mutant backgrounds. Several of these genes had been previously identified as genes with high expression in trichomes. Identification of such genes will provide information on what function(s) the mature trichomes play in Arabidopsis. The proteins encoded by the trichome-enriched genes are involved in biotic and/or abiotic responses in plants, based on both bioinformatics and functional data. We conclude that Arabidopsis trichomes function as defense organs by serving as both a physical and a molecular barrier.
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - The Ohio State Univeristy, Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology, 500 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 W.12th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
2 - The Ohio State Univeristy, Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology
Keywords:
trichome development
defense.
Presentation Type: Plant Biology Abstract
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P26008
Abstract ID:206 |
