Isolation and examination of B, C and E class mads-box gene homologues in vaccinium
LE3 .A278 2009
2009
Evans, Rodger
Acadia University
Bachelor of Science
Honours
Biology
Angiosperms are one of the most diverse groups of plants, with the flower being the main unifying feature among them. All angiosperms have the unifying character of having their organs arranged in four whorls; sepals, petals, stamens and carpels. MADSBox genes are extremely important for determining the morphology of a flower, with different genes influencing different whorls of the flower. A model derived from analyses of MADS-Box genes, the ABC model, describes floral organ identity as being controlled by three gene functions. In this model, A-function acts on sepal identity, A and B on petal, B and C on stamen, and C on carpels. Recently the ABC model was updated in order to include E-function genes, which contribute to sepal, petal, and carpel identity. In this study, RNA was extracted from floral bud tissues of five species of Vaccinium (V. auricifolium, V. vitis-idaea, V. boreale, V. angustifolium, and V. corymbosum) and reverse transcribed into cDNA. Universal B- and C-class primers were used to amplify MADS-Box genes from these respective classes, with the B-class primers unintentionally isolating E-class genes as well. The genes were sequenced and edited before being subjected to nucleotide-nucleotide BLAST searches in GenBank, which determined that they matched those of documented MADS-Box genes. The sequences were aligned and phylogenetic trees were created in order to determine their evolutionary relationships. Further studies can examine expression patterns by designing sequence specific probes for in-situ hybridization studies. Examining genes responsible for the development organs in flowers helps achieve a better understanding of the complex interactions that generate them and furthers our understanding of flower evolution in general, and Vaccinium specifically.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:567
