Int. J. Dev. Biol. 45: S45 - S46 (2001)

Vol 45, Issue S1

Interactions between INCURVATA genes in Arabidopsis thaliana

Published: 1 June 2001

S Jover-Gil, P Robles, H Candela, JL Micol

Univ Miguel Hernandez, Div Genet, Alicante 03202, Spain; Univ Miguel Hernandez, Inst Bioingn, Alicante 03202, Spain

Abstract

One of the most frequently represented phenotypic classes among the leaf morphological mutants available in Arabidopsis thaliana is that named Incurvata (Icu), whose members display curled, involute leaves. Here we describe ethyl methanesulfonate-induced alleles of the INCURVATA9 (ICU9) gene, which cause several leaf abnormalities, such as organ radialization and the presence of abaxial trichomes in juvenile leaves. These morphological aberrations can be interpreted as a consequence of a partial transformation of ventral into dorsal leaf identity, which makes the ICU9 gene a candidate for being involved in the specification and/or maintenance of leaf dorsoventrality. In order to identify genetic operations at work during leaf morphogenesis, we have obtained double mutants involving alleles of ten ICU loci, finding that ICU9is functionally related to other five ICU genes. All these six genes seem to be essential for the leaf to properly develop.

Keywords

Wing vein pattern, leaf morphogenesis, dorsoventrality, phantastica, antirrhinum, drosophila