Functional Evolution of the APETALA1/FRUITFULL gene lineage

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Amy LittFunctional evolution of the APETALA1/FRUITFULL gene family IOS-0923748This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The goal of this project is to determine whether the function of APETALA1/FRUITFULL genes, key regulators of flower formation, changed during the course of flowering plant evolution, and if these changes had any effect on flower development. In the model plant species Arabidopsis, there are two important genes in this family, AP1 and FUL. Both are required for flowers to form properly, but in addition AP1 is required for proper sepal and petal development, whereas FUL is needed for the seed pod to form correctly. AP1 and FUL resulted from a duplication that occurred when the core eudicots, the most successful group of flowering plants, evolved. Thus the genomes of core eudicots such as Arabidopsis, daisies and roses have one gene similar to AP1 and one gene similar to FUL. However, groups that evolved earlier than the core eudicots, such as magnolias, grasses, or buttercups, only have genes that are similar to FUL. The central question is: did the origin of the core eudicot AP1-like genes change the way in which flowers are formed? The researchers are addressing this question with a two-pronged approach. In Arabidopsis, they are manipulating AP1 and FUL gene sequences and activity to determine which is responsible for the differences in function. In columbine and poppy, which are not core eudicots, they are using a virus-mediated technique to silence the activity of the FUL-like genes to determine their function. The results of this project will determine whether flowers in all species develop according to the same genetic plan, or whether that plan has changed during flowering plant evolution. This information is critical for future studies that might manipulate flower development for agricultural or horticultural purposes. A goal of this project is to inform non-scientists about the genetic processes that underlie flower development. Therefore in conjunction with this research a demonstration garden will be created at The New York Botanical Garden displaying naturally occurring mutants of species such as snapdragon, poppy, and columbine, with signage explaining the genetic control of flower formation. In addition this project will support a post-doctoral researcher and a graduate student from underrepresented groups, and will provide research opportunities for undergraduate and high school students.