Dissertation Research: Molecular Systematics, Floral Evolution, and Developmental Genetics in Basal Angiosperms

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A grant has been awarded to Dr. Douglas Soltis of University of Florida and Mr.Michael Zanis of Washington State University to investigate the genes governing flowerdevelopment in "primitive" flowering plants. Much is known about the genetics offlower development in the higher flowering plants, Arabidopsis (thale cress) andAntirrhinum (snapdragon). In contrast, little is known about the genetics of flowerdevelopment in primitive flowering plants. Dr. Soltis and Mr. Zanis are focusing onisolating and characterizing MADS-box genes, a family of development regulatory genes,from two primitive flowering plants, Nuphar (a member of the waterlily family) andIllicium (a member of the star anise family). They have developed a method forextracting RNA from Nuphar and Illicium flowers, and are using degenerate polymerasechain raction (PCR) to amplify and obtain DNA sequences of MADS-box genes. Therelationships of the MADS-box genes isolated from Nuphar and Illicium are compared toMADS-box genes isolated from other flowering plants. Lastly, using RT-PCR Dr. Soltisand Mr. Zanis are characterizing the floral tissues in which the MADS-box genes areexpressed.Understanding the genes involved in flower development in primitive floweringplants, such as Nuphar and Illicium, is critical because of the insights they may provideinto the early angiosperm flower. Moreover, elucidating the genetics of floraldevelopment in these key flowering plants not only will help to answer questionsregarding the origin and diversification of the flower, but will also provide theopportunity to link what is known about model flowering plant systems, such asAntirrhinum and Arabidopsis, with other flowering plants, providing a morecomprehensive picture of floral development.