Molecular Genetic Analysis of Carpel Development in Arabidopsis

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9631458 Bowman Cereals, legumes, nuts, and fruits of angiosperms provide a large portion of the food that is consumed by both humans and livestock. Each of these products is ultimately derived from carpels, the female reproductive organs of the flower. Carpels are generated in developing flowers through the action of many genes. The aim of this project is to identify the basic molecular and genetic mechanisms by which the development of carpels is directed. Since all angiosperms are likely to utilize a common set of regulatory genes, by cloning and characterizing the relevant genes in the model species Arabidopsis, Dr. Bowman can apply the knowledge gained to commercially important crop species. Genetically engineered changes in sizes, numbers, structure and rate of maturity of carpels will eventually be possible. Such manipulations in crop species may lead to improvements in the amount and diversity of our food supply.