Functional Analysis of B3 Domain Genes in Maize and Arabidopsis

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0080175McCartyDr. McCarty will continue his analysis of genes in maize and arabidopsis that encode B3 type DNA binding proteins. He has shown that the B3 protein structure defines a new class of DNA binding proteins that are found only in the genomes of plants. In plants, B3 genes include a family of regulatory genes that control key aspects of seed development, hormone signaling, and leaf and floral organ development. He is intrigued by the broader issue of the role kingdom specific transcription factors like the B3 proteins have had in the evolution of eukaryotic organisms. He will dissect the developmental functions of key B3 gene families in two distantly related plant species, maize and arabidopsis. He will leverage a robust set of molecular tools and new insight into how B3 proteins are regulated. He will characterize a regulatory mutation in B3 and use that mutant as a basis for mutant screens in arabidopsis. He will extend our use of the aleurone cell layer of the maize endosperm as a genetic model for analysis B3 function in monocot plant development. Finally, he will begin functional analysis of a second B3 gene family that reveals intriguing qualitative differences in monocots and dicots.