Poster: Reproductive development

Abs # 345: Members of the AINTEGUMENTA-like (AIL) gene family are expressed in young tissues and may specify meristematic or division-competent states

Presenter:	Nole-Wilson, Staci M., stacinole@biol.sc.edu
Authors	Nole-Wilson, Staci M. (A)   Tranby, Traci L. (A)   Krizek, Beth A. (A)
Affiliations:	(A): University of South Carolina, Department of Biological Sciences

Although several members of the plant-specific AP2/ERF family of transcription factors are important developmental regulators, many genes in this large protein family remain uncharacterized. Here, we report expression analyses of seven Arabidopsis genes most closely related to the floral development gene AINTEGUMENTA. We show that all members of this AINTEGUMENTA-like (AIL) gene family are transcribed in multiple tissues during development. They are primarily expressed in young actively dividing tissues of a plant and not in mature leaves and stems. The spatial distribution of two AIL genes (AIL5 and AIL6) in inflorescences was characterized by in situ hybridization. Both of these genes are expressed in patterns that partially overlap with that of ANT but also have unique features. Ectopic expression of AIL5 resulted in a larger floral organ phenotype, similar to that resulting from ectopic expression of ANT. Our results are consistent with the AIL genes having roles in specification of meristematic or division-competent states.