RIG: Developmental Genetics of Pollination-Related Floral Phenotypes in Thalictrum

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The angiosperms, or flowering plants, include organisms as familiar as daisies, poppies, roses and oaks, and are by far the most successful group of land plants. Prominent scientists and philosophers have wondered over centuries about how the amazing diversity of floral form came to be. To date, new tools in genomics and genetics are becoming available to help address these long-standing questions. This project addresses the question of what are the genes underlying changes in flower morphology by focusing on "meadow rues" in the buttercup family having a variety of floral types. In order for flowers to produce seeds, they need to be pollinated. This means that pollen, the sperm bearing structure, needs to be transported to the female structures to achieve fertilization. This project will compare insect and wind pollinated flowers, investigating genes that are responsible for floral features that affect pollination. To this end, the investigator takes an interdisciplinary approach using microscopy and molecular biology to assess gene expression and function, and phylogenetics (building trees or genealogies of genes and species) to understand how these floral morphologies evolved and reveal the role of these particular genes in their evolution.The principal investigator has worked extensively with undergraduates, mostly women and/or minorities, who will directly benefit as a result of this Award. She will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including introductory biology course on campus with close to 400 students. A better understanding of the genetic basis of plant pollinator interactions has an impact on agriculture, since its manipulation can improve seed production. Characterization of the genes involved in making flower more attractive to insect pollinators has the added bonus of producing desirable traits for the floriculture industry.