The ABC of fruit-shape formation in the Brassicaceae

十字花科植物果实形状形成的ABC

基本信息

批准号：
BB/P020747/1
负责人：
Lars Ostergaard
金额：
$ 87.91万
依托单位：
John Innes Centre
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2017 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FP020747%2F1
关键词：
ABC fruit shape formation Brassicaceae

项目摘要

Despite the great diversity in plant organ shapes, common principles may underlie shape determination. It has been recognised from the early days of genetics that it is possible to differentiate between gene activities that regulate shape and those that only affect size. Recently, key genetic factors involved in determining shape in domesticated fruit crops such as tomato, melon and pepper have been uncovered. Furthermore, tissue-level models of leaf and petal growth have led to the suggestion that shape depends on patterns of anisotropic growth oriented by a polarity field. We have recently extended these studies by demonstrating that such models also can account for the growth patterns and diversity of three-dimensional fruit shapes. Angiosperms (flowering plants) evolved during the Cretaceous Period more than 100 million years ago and quickly colonised terrestrial habitats. A major reason for their success was the formation of fruits that protect and nurture the developing seeds. Moreover, a massive range of diversity in fruit shape arose during a relatively short time, which allowed for the development of ingenious ways of fertilisation as well as strategies for efficient seed dispersal. The Brassicaceae family contains a wealth of diversity in fruit morphologies and includes some of our genetically best characterised model plants and important crop species. Thus, the Brassicaceae family provides an ideal group of plants to study how specific shapes are established. Although many genes controlling fruit patterning in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have been identified, processes leading to specific carpel and fruit morphologies are still poorly understood. To unravel these processes, we need to compare the growth and morphological development of differently-shaped fruits. In this project, we will study the molecular and genetic mechanisms that underlie the formation of fruit shape within the Brassicaceae. We will use computational modelling combined with developmental biology and genetics to help understand this diversity. We recently found that simple modulations of a computational model based on experimental data can account for the observed variety of certain fruit shapes among Brassicaceae species. We will expand these studies and include non-model plants with highly diverse fruit shapes. Beyond the fundamental understanding of organ growth, results from this project should help identify strategies for how knowledge of shape and growth can be applied to increase yield of oilseed rape. More generally, understanding the mechanisms underlying organ-shape determination has implications for diverse disciplines ranging from medicine to crop improvement.

尽管植物器官形状的多样性差异很大，但常见原理仍可能是确定形状的基础。从遗传学的早期就已经认识到，可以区分调节形状的基因活性和仅影响大小的基因。最近，发现了确定番茄，瓜和胡椒等驯化水果作物形状的关键遗传因素。此外，叶片和花瓣生长的组织水平模型导致了这样的建议：形状取决于各向异性生长的模式。我们最近通过证明这种模型还可以解释三维水果形状的生长模式和多样性来扩展这些研究。被子植物（开花植物）在白垩纪时期发展了1亿年前，并迅速殖民了陆地栖息地。他们成功的主要原因是形成了保护和培育发展中种子的水果。此外，在相对较短的时间内出现了大量的果实形状多样性，这使得开发了巧妙的受精方式以及有效种子分散的策略。 Brassicaceae家族在水果形态上包含丰富的多样性，其中包括我们一些遗传学最佳的模型植物和重要的作物物种。因此，胸肌科提供了一组理想的植物来研究特定形状的建立方式。尽管已经确定了模型植物拟南芥中的许多控制果实模式的基因，但导致特定皮层和果实形态的过程仍然很少了解。要解开这些过程，我们需要比较不同形状的果实的生长和形态发展。在这个项目中，我们将研究甘蓝核科中果实形成的基础的分子和遗传机制。我们将使用计算建模与发育生物学和遗传学相结合，以帮助理解这种多样性。我们最近发现，基于实验数据的计算模型的简单调制可以解释铜菜科中观察到的某些水果形状的种类。我们将扩大这些研究，并包括具有高度多样化的果皮形状的非模型植物。除了对器官增长的基本理解之外，该项目的结果还应帮助确定如何应用形状和生长知识来提高油料种子强奸的产量。更普遍地，了解器官形状确定的机制具有对从药物到作物改善的各种学科的影响。