Characterising the role of KFBT in Primula vulgaris Heteromorphic Self-Incompatibility

Raine, Calum (2019) Characterising the role of KFBT in Primula vulgaris Heteromorphic Self-Incompatibility. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Floral heteromorphy in Primula is the phenomenon whereby one plant species produces two flowers types; pin flowers have long styles with low anthers and thrum flowers have the opposite arrangement. This system promotes outcrossing and is mediated by a hemizygous S locus comprising five genes, one of which encodes a Kelch repeat domain protein called KFBT. Kelch repeat domains form β propellers for protein-protein interactions. Five Kelch motifs were identified in KFBT alongside an N-terminal F-box domain. A total of 155 Kelch proteins were found in P. vulgaris and conservation of KFBT was confirmed across fifteen other Primulaceae species.

Spatial and temporal expression analysis of KFBT detected consistently high transcript quantities in the gynoecium, with increasing levels in the anthers toward flower maturation. Function of the KFBT promoter in the gynoecium was also confirmed by using a GUS reporter gene assay.

Plant transformation and virus induced gene silencing were carried out with a series of KFBT overexpression and knockdown constructs out to generate irregular floral phenotypes for functional analysis. Yeast two-hybrid screens were used to identify candidate partner proteins potentially targeted for degradation by KFBT and these inferred a possible role in the self-incompatibility system that reinforces floral heteromorphy.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	15 Feb 2021 11:10
Last Modified:	15 Feb 2021 11:10
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/79249
DOI:

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