Genetic mechanisms of petal size regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thomas Laux, since 1/2007
• Subject Area: Plant Cell and Developmental Biology
• Term: from 2003 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5424586

Under similar environmental conditions genetically identical individuals of a given species grow to a surprisingly uniform size. Conversely, related species or even races can show dramatic size differences. This constancy of size demonstrates that the extent of growth of an organism and its constituent organs is under tight genetic control. However, despite the great scientific and also potentially economic importance of this phenomenon, in plants the underlying genetic regulatory mechanisms are still largely unkonwn. In particular, two fundamental questions remain unanswered: Which parameters are measured by growing organs when deciding on further growth or not? How is this decision translated into the behaviour of the constituent cells? The proposed project will use two complementary genetic approaches in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to identify important regulatory genes that control organ growth. The focus will be on petals, as their size is influenced less by the environment than that of leaves, indicating a predominantly genetic control. By analyzing the molecular functions and regulation of the isolated genes their role in organ size control will be determined. These studies should provide important insights into the genetic and molecular mechansims regulating organ growth in plants.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Michael Lenhard, until 12/2006