25th Annual Student Research Conference
Characterization of a New Developmental Mutant of Maize: raggedseedling-378
Kevin A. Bodker*, Prabhakar Bastola, and Summer Jensen
Dr. Diane Janick-Buckner, Faculty Mentor
The trans-acting small interfering RNA (ta-siRNA) pathway is involved in the establishment of abaxial/adaxial polarity in maize leaves. Mutations that disrupt this pathway lead to dramatic alterations in leaf shape and potentially to defects in leaf polarity. A new developmental maize mutant, rgd-378, with phenotypic characteristics similar to ta-siRNA pathway mutants has been identified. Histological analysis of rdg-378 leaves suggests that these plants do not display internal polarity defects; however, the epidermis displays patterning defects. Juvenile leaves from rgd-378 plants exhibit altered stomata patterning, smaller pavement cells and mild alterations in subsidiary cell shape when compared to wild type siblings. We used RT-PCR to examine expression of genes in the ta-siRNA pathway in both leaf and shoot apical meristem-enriched tissue. We found differences in expression of some of these genes in rgd-378 tissue compared to wild-type siblings, indicating that expression of some genes in the ta-siRNA pathway are misregulated in the mutant.
Keywords: maize, ta-siRNA, Rgd-378
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 200-2
Location: Georgian Room - SUB
Time: 3:30