Regulation of then onset of reproduction in Arabidopsis

许多植物有一个不同的营养阶段，在这个阶段产生叶子，而在生殖阶段，产生花朵。触发花形成的途径是本研究的重点。主调控子LEAFY有助于在营养发育程序和生殖发育程序之间进行切换，但在LEAFY之后的下游步骤却鲜为人知。这项研究项目将调查叶子激活后的事件，最终形成第一朵花。此前已经确定了这一过程的几个新的监管机构，目前正在确定这些监管机构的特征。由于所研究的调控机制在许多作物中都是保守的，这项研究有可能对农业作物生产有所裨益。此外，该项目还为高中生、本科生和研究生提供最先进的分子生物学和遗传学研究方面的培训。

Many plants have a distinct vegetative phase in which leaves are produced and a reproductive phase, in which flowers are produced. The pathway that triggers flower formation is the focus of this research. The master regulator LEAFY is instrumental for switching between the vegetative and the reproductive developmental program, yet the steps downstream (after) LEAFY are poorly understood. This research project will investigate events following LEAFY activation that culminate in formation of the first flower. Several new regulators of this process were identified previously and are currently being characterized. Because the regulatory mechanism studied is conserved in many crop plants, this research has the potential to benefit agricultural crop production. In addition the project provides training for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in state-of-the art Molecular Biology and Genetic research.