Role of the ULTRAPETALA Genes in Regulating Arabidopsis Meristem Function and Floral Patterning

和动物一样，植物也有对它们的生长和发育至关重要的干细胞。植物干细胞存在于生长中的茎尖(称为分生组织)和发育中的花中，它们为新器官的形成提供细胞，如叶子和花瓣。主要的研究目标是了解控制茎和花中干细胞活动的分子机制，从而确定总体植物结构。这项研究项目继续对模式植物拟南芥的两个基因进行研究，这两个基因有助于确定由芽和花制造的干细胞的数量。将利用遗传、分子和生化技术分析这两个ULT基因的生物学功能。由ULT基因控制的其他基因的同一性，与这两个基因共同作用的因素的信息，以及对ULT基因在维持茎和花干细胞活性方面所起的作用的更深入的了解，是本研究的预期结果。该项目的另一个重要组成部分是在实验室环境中整合研究和教育。通过这个项目，博士后学者和加州大学伯克利分校的研究生将接受现代科学理论和实践方面的培训。本科生和当地高中生将通过协助该项目获得他们第一次接触研究的机会，并将由博士后学者和研究生指导，提供宝贵的培训和指导经验。这些对植物干细胞活性的研究对于了解植物如何能够连续生长多年很重要，并将为优化经济作物物种的植物结构提供基础。

Like animals, plants have stem cells that are critical for their growth and development. Plant stem cells are found at the growing shoot tips (called meristems) and in developing flowers, and they provide cells for the formation of new organs such as leaves and petals. The main research objective is to understand the molecular mechanisms that control stem cell activity in shoots and flowers, and thus specify overall plant architecture. This research project continues studies of two genes from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana that help determine the number of stem cells that are made by shoots and flowers. Genetic, molecular and biochemical techniques will be used to analyze the biological functions of these two ULTRAPETALA (ULT) genes. The identity of other genes that are controlled by the ULT genes, information about factors that work together with the two genes, and a more thorough understanding of the roles played by the ULT genes in maintaining shoot and flower stem cell activity are the expected results of this research. Another important component of this project is to integrate research and education in a laboratory environment. Through this project postdoctoral scholars and UC Berkeley graduate students will receive training in modern scientific theory and practice. Undergraduates and local high school students will obtain their first exposure to research by assisting with the project, and will be supervised by the postdoctoral scholars and graduate students to provide valuable training and mentoring experience. These studies of plant stem cell activity are important to understand how plants are able to continuously grow for many years, and will provide a basis for optimizing plant architecture in economically important crop species.