Award Abstract #0313501
2010 Project: Identification and Functional Analysis of Genes Required for Gametophyte Development

NSF Org:	IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	July 30, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	August 2, 2007
Award Number:	0313501
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Zhongchi Liu IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2003
Expires:	December 31, 2007 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$896250
Investigator(s):	Venkatesan Sundaresan sundar@ucdavis.edu (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of California-Davis OR/Sponsored Programs Davis, CA 95618 530/747-3838
NSF Program(s):	PLANT GENOME RESEARCH PROJECT, PLANT FUNGAL & MICROB DEV MECH
Field Application(s):	0000099 Other Applications NEC
Program Reference Code(s):	SMET, BIOT, 9251, 9178, 9152, 9109, 1684, 1111
Program Element Code(s):	1329, 1118

ABSTRACT

0313501

Sundaresan

The proposed research will identify and determine functions of gametophytic genes in Arabidopsis. A mutant screen for gametophytic mutations using Ds insertion lines will be performed, resulting in the identification of an estimated 400 gametophytic mutants. The genes disrupted by these insertions will be identified by sequence and posted on a website at UC Davis (http://www-plb.ucdavis.edu/Labs/sundar/). Characterization of gene function will be carried out through integrated genetic, cellular and developmental study of the female and male gametophytes in the mutants. The characterized mutants will be made publicly available through deposition in the ABRC stock center. In addition, we will use expression profiling to identify female gametophyte-specific genes. Relatively little is known about the genes and functions required for gametophytic development in flowering plants. The aim of the 2010 project to determine the functions of all Arabidopsis genes will require the identification and characterization of gametophytic genes, which play a critical role in plant reproduction. These studies will also yield potential applications towards the control of reproduction in crop plants.

Broader Impact: The project will provide comprehensive training in plant biology research for postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and undergraduate students at both participating institutions. Efforts will be made to recruit individuals from underrepresented groups to participate in this project. In the case of undergraduate students, the PIs will work with specific programs at their institutions intended for the purpose of encouraging minority participation in research. In addition, participants in the project will be involved in outreach efforts to schools through the attachment of high school students and through workshop modules in middle schools.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Boavida L. C., McCormick S..  "Temperature as a determinant factor for increased and reproducible in vitro pollen germination in Arabidopsis thaliana.,"  Plant Journal,  v.52,  2007,  p. 570.

Chen, Z., Tan, J., Inguoff, M., Sundaresan, V. , Berger, F..  "The Chromatin Assembly Factor 1 regulates the cell cycle but not the cell fate during male gametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.,"  Development,  2007, 

Ngo, Q.A., Moore, J.M., Baskar R., Grossniklaus, U., Sundaresan, V..  "The Arabidopsis glauce mutant reveals a novel regulatory function of the female gametophyte in autonomous endosperm development and expression of paternal alleles during early embryogenesis.,"  Development,  v.134,  2007,  p. 4107.

Pagnussat, G., Yu, H.-J., Ngo, Q., Rajani, S., Mayalagu, S., Johnson, C., Capron, A., Xie, L.-F., Ye, D., Sundaresan, V.  "Genetic and molecular identification of genes required for female gametophyte development and function in Arabidopsis.,"  Development,  v.132,  2005,  p. 603.

Pagnussat, G., Yu, H.-J., Sundaresan, V.  "Cell-fate switch of synergid to egg cell in Arabidopsis eostre mutant embryo sacs arises from mis-expression of the BEL1-Like Homeodomain gene BLH1.,"  The Plant Cell,  2007, 

Sundaresan, V..  "Control of seed size in plants,"  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,  v.102,  2005,  p. 17887.

Yu, H.-J., Hogan, P.S., Sundaresan, V..  "Analysis of the female gametophyte transcriptome of Arabidopsis by comparative expression profiling.,"  Plant Physiology,  v.139,  2005,  p. 1853.


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