A functional approach to profiling candidate genes in non model Brassicales

• Author / Creator

  Mankowski, Peter J.

• Obtaining functional data is an essential component in understanding mechanisms underlying morphological variation. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a reverse genetic technique for identifying the function of target loci through viral mediated transcript knockdown. Here we introduce this technique to two plant systems Cleome violacea (Cleomaceae) and Erucaria erucarioides (Brassicaceae) chosen for their morphological traits and phylogenetic position. In both species, a construct with a heterologous sequence and a construct with an endogenous sequence of the visual marker PHYTOENE DESATURASE (PDS) were incorporated into separate viral constructs for downregulation. Downregulation using a heterologous sequence produced a comparable fold change in transcript abundance to the endogenous sequence in both species however C. violacea was more susceptible to this process. Additional targets FRUITFULL (FUL) and a TCP1 homologue were targeted for knockdown within C. violacea to extend the application of this technique. A protocol for VIGS application is now available to both species for optimization and future functional analysis.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Brassiceae
  • Brassicales
  • Monosymmetry
  • VIGS
  • Virus induced gene silencing
  • Heteroarthrocarpy
  • Evolutionary development
  • Cleome
  • Cleomaceae
  • Floral symmetry

• Graduation date

  Spring 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3JM7P

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.