NSF Young Investigator

从营养发育到生殖发育的转变是开花植物生命周期中的一个关键转变。尽管它很重要，但人们对这种发育开关的分子机制知之甚少。Weigel博士之前已经分离出了一个名为LEAFY的基因，这是已知最早在十字花科植物拟南芥（Arabidopsis）的花中活跃的基因，其活性是花的特征所必需的。他建议使用遗传和分子方法来破译从花诱导到花内模式形成的遗传层次，最初使用绿叶基因作为主要工具。他将解决的具体问题包括：(1)花的诱导如何导致决定花身份的基因的激活？(2)除LEAFY基因外，还有哪些基因控制花的特性？芽和花的器官出现的模式是如何调控的？(4)在拟南芥中发现的机制是否也存在于其他开花植物物种中？这项工作旨在研究和确定开花植物生命周期中从营养发育转向生殖发育的分子机制。具体的问题将在拟南芥和其他开花植物中提出。这些问题的答案将导致对花的决定机制的理解，这将允许有指导地操纵开花不仅在拟南芥，而且在其他重要的经济植物。＊＊＊

9458210 Weigel The switch from vegetative to reproductive development is a critical transition in the life cycle of a flowering plant. Despite its importance, the molecular mechanisms underlying this developmental switch are poorly understood. Dr. Weigel has previously isolated a gene, LEAFY, that is the earliest known gene to be active in flowers of the small crucifer Arabidopsis, and whose activity is required for floral identity. He proposes to use genetic and molecular approaches to decipher the genetic hierarchy that leads form floral induction to pattern formation within the flower, initially using the LEAFY gene as a main tool. Specific questions that he will address include the following: (1) How does floral induction lead to the activation of genes that determine floral identity? (2) Which genes, in addition to LEAFY, control floral identity? How is the pattern or organ emergence in shoots and flowers regulated? (4) Are the mechanisms uncovered in Arabidopsis conserved in other species of flowering plants? %%% This work seeks to investigate and identify molecular mechanisms underlying the switch from vegetative to reproductive development in the life cycle of a flowering plant. Specific questions will be asked in Arabidopsis thaliana and, ultimately, in other flowering plants. The answers to be obtained to those questions will lead to a mechanistic understanding of floral determination which will permit directed manipulation of flowering not only in Arabidopsis but also in other, economically important plants. ***