Study of AGL16 and AGL63 expression pattern during Arabidopsis thaliana reproductive development

• Grant number: 12/06496-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Carnier Dornelas
• Grantee: Jaderson Silveira Leite Armanhi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The MADS-box transcription factors - present in plants, fungi, and animals - contribute to different biological functions. In plants, MADS-box proteins regulate the development of fruits, leaves, and roots, as well as the differentiation of reproductive structures. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the AGL16 gene, which is a member of the MADS-box family, plays a role in the development of the stomata guard cells in leaves. The expression of AGL16 is directly mediated by the mR824 micro-RNA. Another MADS-box family member, AGL63 (also known as GORDITA) regulates fruit development. Literature data indicate that the proteins produced by these genes interact, forming dimers. Nonetheless, these genes appear to express in different tissue types (leaves in the case of AGL16 and fruits, in the case of AGL63). Nonetheless, our working hypothesis is that as carpels and Arabidopsis immature fruits have stomata, there probably is a stage of stomata formation in fruits where both genes are co-expressed. Therefore our aim is to study the expression patterns of AGL16 and AGL63 during A. thaliana fruit development, using in situ hybridization to test this hypothesis.(AU)