The Role Of Gene Duplication in the Floral Symmetry in Dipsacales

基因复制在续断花对称性中的作用

• 批准号: 1121301
• 负责人: Dianella Howarth
• 金额: $ 55万
• 依托单位: Saint John's University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-11-01 至 2015-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1121301&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Role; Gene; Duplication; Floral; Symmetry

The nearly endless diversity of floral shape, color, and size, has captivated humans throughout history. How gene changes affect these traits is a compelling question in biology. Close observation of diverse flowers uncovers significant constraint on how they form. Approximately 70% of flowering plant species falling into a group that fundamentally have five parts (e.g., five petals) and strict patterns of how these parts are oriented. The greatest distinction is between flowers that are radially symmetrical, with all the petals equidistant from each other, and flowers that are bilaterally symmetrical with a single plane of symmetry that divides the flower in half from top to bottom. This project uses Dipsacales (honeysuckle and its relatives) to examine the genetic basis of evolutionary shifts in flower symmetry. Diversification in the Dipsacales shows multiple shifts between radially symmetrical groups and different forms of bilateral symmetry. The shifts to bilateral symmetry correlate with duplications in certain genes, suggesting that multiple copies of these genes are needed to form a more complex bilaterally symmetrical flower. This project will build on previous evolutionary examinations of these "floral symmetry genes" to determine how shifts in where and when these genes operate affect shifts in floral symmetry among related groups. Nearly all scientists had an inspirational teacher or parent who exposed them to science, highlighting the need to reach as many students as possible with active science education. St. John's University, situated in the most diverse county in the country, with a student body dominated by under-represented groups, provides investigators the opportunity to expose students from all levels and backgrounds to science. The project will provide research opportunities for diverse undergraduates as well as high school students from Forest Hills High School. These students will learn modern molecular biology techniques through hands on experience and close mentoring.

花的形状、颜色和大小几乎无穷无尽的多样性，在历史上一直吸引着人类。基因变化如何影响这些特征是生物学中一个引人注目的问题。对不同花朵的近距离观察揭示了它们如何形成的重要限制。大约70%的开花植物属于一个由五个部分组成的群体（例如，五个花瓣），这些部分的朝向有严格的模式。最大的区别是径向对称的花，所有的花瓣彼此等距，而两侧对称的花，从上到下把花分成两半。本项目利用金银花及其近亲来研究花对称进化转变的遗传基础。Dipsacales的多样化显示了径向对称群体和不同形式的双边对称之间的多重转变。向两侧对称的转变与某些基因的复制有关，这表明需要这些基因的多个拷贝才能形成更复杂的两侧对称花。该项目将建立在先前对这些“花对称基因”的进化研究的基础上，以确定这些基因在何时何地运作的变化如何影响相关群体中花对称的变化。几乎所有的科学家都有一位鼓舞人心的老师或父母，让他们接触到科学，强调了通过积极的科学教育接触尽可能多的学生的必要性。圣约翰大学位于全国最多元化的县，学生群体以代表性不足的群体为主，为研究人员提供了让不同层次和背景的学生接触科学的机会。该项目将为来自森林山高中的不同本科生和高中生提供研究机会。这些学生将通过亲身体验和密切指导学习现代分子生物学技术。