Molecular mechanisms and signification of leafy (lfy) movement

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Project objective

In Arabidopsis, the meristem identity gene LEAFY (LFY) can exert non-cell autonomous effects during floral development. Genetic chimera have shown that these effects are mediated by the trafficking of LFY protein from cells where its mRNA is expressed to cells where RNA is not detected. In plants, such non-autonomous effects mediated by the intercellular transfer of transcription factors have also been reported for KNOTTED1 (KN1) in maize, and DEFICIENS (DEF) and GLOBOSA (GLO) in snapdragon. However, the mechanism and the significance of these movements remain enigmatic. By using LFY as a paradigm, I propose to develop three lines of experiments to address these questions:1) I will determine by targeted mutagenesis the cis-determinants for transcription factors movement and retention;2) investigate the signification of LFY movement in physiological conditions by expressing a movement-deficient LFY mutant mini-gene in a fly background;3) isolate trans-acting factors of LFY movement by using two novel genetic screens.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN E.V. · MUENCHENCoordinatorGermany

Links

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