Flower Development in Arabidopsis Thaliana

花的发育仍然是植物最有趣和最复杂的过程之一，但所涉及的分子机制知之甚少。亚诺夫斯基博士克隆了其中一个基因Agamous (AG)，它在决定拟南芥花器官的正确模式方面起着关键作用。AG基因突变导致“重瓣花”表型。类似的表型在其他植物中已经被描述了长达两千年，使其成为公认的最古老的花朵异常。Yanofsky博士未来三到五年的目标是开始剖析复杂的调控网络，使AG基因的表达受到控制，从而使表达以精确的空间和时间方式发生。这将通过对参与调控AG表达的顺式作用元件的详细表征，以及通过识别AG启动子内与反式调节因子结合的序列来实现。此外，由于数据表明Agamous蛋白是一种序列特异性DNA结合蛋白，调控雄蕊和心皮形成相关基因，他将直接测试Agamous对特定DNA序列的识别能力。此外，通过操纵转基因植物中Agamous的表达，他将直接测试迄今为止完全基于遗传数据的花卉发育模型的预测。

Flower development remains one of the most interesting and complex processes unique to plants, and yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved. Dr. Yanofsky has cloned one of the genes, Agamous (AG), that plays a key role in determining the correct pattern of floral organs in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mutations in the AG gene result in a "double flower" phenotype. Similar phenotypes have been described in other plants for as much as two thousand years, making this the oldest recognized flower abnormality. Dr. Yanofsky's goal over the next three to five years is to begin to dissect the complex regulatory network that allows the expression of the AG gene to be controlled such that expression occurs in a precise spacial and temporal manner. This will be achieved through a detailed characterization of the cis acting elements involved in regulation the expression of AG, and by identifying the sequences within the AG promoter to which trans acting regulatory factors bind. In addition, since the data suggest that the Agamous protein is a sequence specific DNA binding protein that regulates genes involved in stamen and carpel formation, he will directly test the ability of AGamous to recognize specific DNA sequences. In addition, by manipulating the expression of Agamous in transgenic plants, he will directly test predictions of a model for flower development that has thus far been based entirely on genetic data.