Award details

Evolution of flower morphology: the selfing syndrome in Capsella

Reference	BBS/E/J/000CA426
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Martin Trick
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	11,175
Status	Current
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/12/2010
End date	30/11/2015
Duration	60 months

Abstract

The change from obligate outbreeding to selfing is one of the most frequent evolutionary transitions in plants and is generally accompanied by changes in flower morphology and function, termed the selfing syndrome. While the loss of self-incompatibility is relatively well understood, little is known about the molecular basis of the associated morphological changes and their evolutionary history. The species-pair Capsella grandiflora (the ancestral outbreeder) and C. rubella (the derived selfing species) will be used as a genetically tractable model. Quantitative trait loci affecting flower size and flower opening have been mapped in recombinant inbred lines from a cross of C. grandiflora x C. rubella. The proposal will address four objectives. (1) Causal genes underlying the variation in flower size and opening, will be isolated by combining genetic mapping with next-generation sequencing. (2) The developmental and molecular functions of the isolated genes in Capsella and Arabidopsis will be characterised. (3) Dissection of the molecular basis of the different allelic effects of the causal genes will determine which kinds of mutations have led to the morphological changes. (4) Based on population-genetic analyses of the isolated genes, the evolutionary history of the morphological changes will be retraced.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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