Molecular Control of Ovule Development

高等植物的胚珠在植物繁殖中起着核心作用。此外，由于胚珠是种子的前体，胚珠发育是作物生产力的关键组成部分。胚珠发育包括所有多细胞生物的典型发育过程，可以作为研究所有生物形态发生和组织分化的基本机制的模型。PI通过定位克隆方法分离出胚珠突变，鉴定出一组调控胚珠发育关键步骤的基因。其中包括HUELLENLOS （HLL）和SHORT被珠2 (SIN2)，它们都是被珠（种皮的前体）形成或膨胀所必需的，TSO1是被珠细胞定向膨胀的正常协调所必需的。分离的基因将作为分析基因表达模式的工具，并形成调节胚珠发育的生化机制的初始模型。该研究的完成将大大增加对植物生殖发育以及形态发生和组织发生的遗传和分子控制的理解。克隆的基因也将使对这些基本发育过程的调控和操纵的进一步研究成为可能。

The ovules of higher plants play a central role in plant reproduction. In addition, because ovules are the precursors to seeds, ovule development is a critical component of crop productivity. Ovule development includes processes which typify development in all multicellular organisms and can be used as a model for studying fundamental mechanisms regulating morphogenesis and tissue differentiation in all organisms. The PI has identified a set of genes regulating critical steps in ovule developmental through isolation ovule mutations isolated by positional cloning methods. These include HUELLENLOS (HLL) and SHORT INTEGUMENTS 2 (SIN2) - both of which are essential for formation or expansion of the integuments (the precursors of the seed coat), and TSO1 - which is necessary for normal coordination of directional expansion of integument cells. The isolated genes will serve as tools for analysis of patterns of gene expression and for formation of initial models of the biochemical mechanism regulating ovule development. Completion of the proposed research will significantly increase understanding of genetic and molecular control of plant reproductive development and of morphogenesis and histogenesis in general. The cloned genes will also enable further research on regulation and manipulation of these fundamental developmental processes.