Abstract Detail

Plant development and evolution: Lessons learned from candidate genes

Brockington, Samuel F [1], Soltis, Pamela S. [1], Soltis, Douglas E [2].

Evolution and Development of Petals within Aizoaceae: A Preliminary Analysis of MADS-box Gene Diversity.

Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses of the angiosperm family Aizoaceae (Caryophyllales) have resolved patterns in the evolution of floral organization within this group. Two subfamilies Sesuvioideae and Aizooideae form a basal grade and have a single perianth whorl of coloured tepals; in contrast, the two derived subfamilies Mesembryanthoideae and Ruschoideae utilize petaloid staminodes as pollinator attractants. Our objective is to investigate mechanisms underlying the evolutionary and developmental origin of these novel petaloid organs by examining changes in sequence and expression patterns of MADS-box gene lineages across the Aizoaceae phylogeny. We have sampled four lineages of MADS-box genes, AGAMOUS, DEFICIENS,GLOBOSA and SQUAMOSA from taxa representative of the four sub-families: Sesuvium portulacastrum (Sesuvioideae), Tetragonia tetragonoides (Aizooideae), Aptenia cordifolia and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (Mesembryanthoideae) and Delosperma napiforme (Ruschoideae). This analysis of an independent evolution of petals within the core eudicots will provide a valuable comparison with similar studies conducted in basal angiosperms. Here we describe our initial analysis of MADS-box gene diversity across Aizoaceae and discuss its implications for the evolution of petals within this group.

1 - University of Florida, Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, Florida, 32611-7800, USA
2 - University of Florida, Department of Botany, 220 Bartram Hall, P.O. Box 118526, Gainesville, Florida, 32611-8526, USA

Keywords:
Aizoaceae
ABC model
core eudicots
developmental genetics
development
Evolution
floral structure
flower development.

Presentation Type: Symposium
Session: 54-3
Location: Ballroom 1 (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Wednesday, August 4th, 2004
Time: 2:30 PM
Abstract ID:387