Molecular and Genetic Analysis of the Maize indeterminate Gene

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

In higher plants, the mechanisms that regulate the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth are not understood. To address this problem, the function of the maize indeterminate gene (id1) is being studied. It is proposed that id1 is an important regulator of long distance transmissible signal(s) that originate in leaves and are transmitted to the shoot apex to cause the transition to flowering. Thus, study of id1 provides a unique opportunity to characterize the molecular changes in the leaf that result in the propagation of long distance flowering signals. In order to understand how id1 regulates the floral stimulus and causes the transition to flowering the following objectives will be addressed: 1) Investigate the molecular changes associated with the floral stimulus by generating a profile of differentially expressed genes in immature leaves of id1 mutant and wild-type plants. Both direct and indirect targets of id1 will be isolated and characterized. 2) Identify important regulatory components and structural domains of the id1 gene by using the Ds transposon to create allelic variations at the id1 locus by sequential insertions and excisions. Study of id1 function provides a unique opportunity to investigate the molecular components of long distance flowering signals. Results from these experiments will shed light on the molecular, cellular and biochemical changes that occur in leaves during the transition to flowering. Moreover, knowledge about the transition to reproductive growth in maize and other agronomically important grasses, such as rice, wheat, barley and sugar cane, could give rise to novel methods to control maturity and optimize resource utilization in the world's most vital crop species.