Patterning Genes in Streptophytes: Origin of a Basic Developmental Patterning System and its Role in the Evolution of Land Plant Form

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The origin of land plants was one of the most important events in the earth's evolutionary history. A key feature associated with the evolution of the land plant body plan was the origin of three dimensional tissue patterning derived from a shoot apical meristem, with the capacity for branching, production of leaves and flowers, and the origin of roots. The aims of the proposed research are to characterize the Class III HD-Zip and KANADI gene families in plants representing all land plant lineages and the algal sister group. These gene families were chosen because of their pivotal roles in Arabidopsis in the SAM function, patterning of tissues in stem, leaf, and root, and vascular differentiation, which represent the key innovations of land plant body plan evolution. Since members of both gene families function as a single genetic program in each of the tissues where they act in Arabidopsis, investigation of the evolution of gene expression and function in a broad phylogenetic sample of plants has the potential to yield evidence of how this genetic program has been co-opted to pattern new morphological structures. Such knowledge may be applied to manipulate plant architecture for agricultural or forestry purposes. This research will involve several undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds who will either continue their education in various graduate programs or go on to jobs in the biotech industry. In addition, the proposed research will provide undergraduate and graduate training in evolutionary developmental biology.