27th Annual Student Research Conference
The Role of ZmLHWB in Vascular Tissue Formation and Cell Fate Decisions in Maize
Sean R. Trammel
Dr. Diane Janick-Buckner, Faculty Mentor
The Arabidopsis lonesome highway gene plays a role in vascular tissue formation and cell fate decisions. The maize genome contains two paralogs of the lonesome highway gene, designated as ZmLHLA and ZmLHWB. Maize plants containing a Mutator transposable element inserted into the ZmLHWB gene were analyzed to determine whether this gene plays a similar developmental role in maize. Seedlings homozygous for the Mu-ZmLHWB allele or the wild-type ZmLHWB allele were grown on germination paper at 25C. After 10 days, root length and weight were measured and root tissue was collected for histological and gene expression studies. Root tissue was processed for paraffin sectioning, stained and its histology assessed by light microscopy. Additionally, gene expression studies are underway using cDNA prepared from RNA isolated from root tips to determine whether the Mu-ZmLHWB alters expression of genes involved in vascular development.
Keywords: ZmLHWB, ZmLHLA, Lonesome highway, Maize
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 4-10
Location: GEO - SUB
Time: 3:30