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Abstract Detail


Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)

Meyer, Rachel [1], Litt, Amy [2].

Tomato and flowering tobacco fruit maturation is differently affected by ethylene, as seen through down-regulation of ETR4 .

The role of ethylene in ripening has been extensively studied in fleshy fruit including tomato. However, little information is available regarding the role of ethylene in plants with dry dehiscent fruit. Current evidence suggests that ethylene does not seem to play a role in Arabidopsis silique development. However, there is some evidence that ethylene affects capsule development in Solanaceae. Our work is part of an ongoing analysis that uses the Solanaceae as a model system for studying the comparative development of dry and fleshy fruits. We have begun by investigating whether ethylene affects flowering tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit development similarly. Here the role of ETR4, a negative ethylene receptor, is assessed in the capsule development of flowering tobacco. Using RNAi technology, we have generated transgenic lines in which ETR4 is downregulated in both the MicroTom variety of tomato (LeETR4) and flowering tobacco (NsETR4). MicroTom leetr4 T1 lines show accelerated fruit ripening as well as other symptoms of ethylene hypersensitivity, consistent with previous studies in other tomato varieties. In contrast, the T1 flowering tobacco lines show bolting was delayed one to five months. Also in contrast to tomato, no epinasty was seen in the leaves. When the plants did flower, fruit maturation was accelerated to the extent that many dried while sepals were still green. Approximately one fifth of the fruits actually produced viable seeds. Thus, it seems ethylene plays a similar role in fruit development of both tomato and tobacco, but vegetative tissues are affected differently.


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1 - City University of New York, Graduate Center / New York Botanical Gard, Biology, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
2 - The New York Botanical Garden, 200th St and Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10458-5126, USA

Keywords:
ethylene
Fruit development
Gateway
RNAi
tobacco
tomato
Solanaceae.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Ball Room & Party Room/SUB
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2008
Time: 12:30 PM
Number: PEV002
Abstract ID:376


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