The Genetic Regulation of Phase Change in Maize

这个项目的目的是描述玉米从幼体到成体营养生长习性转变的遗传控制，称为“相变”。这一试图剖析时间基因表达程序的遗传调节的尝试将通过分析延长幼体生长阶段的突变(TP1、TP2和TP3)来完成。这些突变的功能将通过研究它们表达的自主性以及它们对玉米叶片生长、形态和细胞谱系的影响来研究。初步突变的假定功能缺失衍生产物的表型和遗传交互作用将被描述为定义其功能的另一种方法。来自这些研究的信息将被用来评估成长过渡模型，这些模型涉及：1)重叠的青少年和成人项目；以及2)顺序的、相互排斥的青少年和成人项目。这项研究有可能推进玉米发育的遗传控制及其可能的进化途径的基础知识。

The objective of this project is to characterize genetic control of the transition, termed "phase change", from juvenile to adult vegetative growth habit in maize. This attempt to dissect genetic regulation of the temporal gene expression program will be accomplished via analysis of mutations (Tp1, Tp2 and Tp3) that prolong the juvenile growth phase. The function of these mutations will be investigated by study of the autonomy of their expression, and their effect on maize leaf growth, morphology and cell lineage. The phenotypes and genetic interactions of putative loss.of.function derivatives of the primary mutations will be characterized as an additional approach to definition of their function. Information from these studies will be used to evaluate growth transition models which involve: 1) overlapping juvenile and adult programs; and 2) sequential, mutually exclusive juvenile and adult programs. This study has the potential to advance fundamental knowledge of the genetic control of maize development, and possible pathways of its evolution.