Protein- hormone interactions patterning the gynoecium

Deb, Joyita (2015) Protein- hormone interactions patterning the gynoecium. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

The gynoecium is among the most intricately patterned organs of the plant, comprisingdifferent tissue sub-structures, all with the purpose of facilitating propagation to the next generation. It is therefore representative of the complexity involved in the initiation and establishment of organ patterning and presents a unique model to study the mechanisms coordinating development. As with all other organs, the interplay between genetic and hormonal factors specifies carpel development. However, although much is known about the genetic components involved in carpel development, our understanding of hormonal
regulation and the cross-talk between these two pathways is limited. Thus, the aim of this thesis has been to address this issue by obtaining an integrated view of the genetic and
hormonal regulatory mechanisms which act to coordinate gynoecium development. It has done so using broadly two approaches: first, by characterising the transcription factor
interactions which pattern the carpel, and second, by elucidating the cross-talk between these interactions and the plant hormone auxin. Further, it has also studied the role of auxin in carpel morphogenesis.
Observations from this research have uncovered a novel auxin co-receptor complex formed by the transcription factors IND and ETT. The co-receptor binds the IAA molecule directly and exhibits specificity for IAA over the synthetic analogues NAA and 2,4-D. This coreceptor
functions to coordinate the development of the style and stigmatic tissues of the carpel, possibly via the regulation of PID kinase. Further, this work has also identified novel roles in protein-protein dimerisation for the domains involved in this interaction. Analyses also indicate that this novel auxin signalling pathway may also be conserved in
the Brassicaceae through the ETT orthologues in this family. Finally, this project has analysed how ETT’s role as an auxin receptor could be translated into precise spatiotemporal regulation of its target genes to specify the boundaries necessary for gynoecium patterning.
Together, the results from this work have posed new questions as to the signalling mechanisms through which auxin coordinates its varied and numerous functions in plants.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Users 2593 not found.
Date Deposited:	09 Sep 2015 08:31
Last Modified:	09 Sep 2015 08:31
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/54301
DOI:

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