Poster: Reproductive development

Abs # 376: Identification and characterization of At5g51410, a novel binding partner of APETALA3

Presenter:	Puttaswamy, Kanchan , puttaswamy.1@osu.edu
Authors	Puttaswamy, Kanchan  (A)   Irish, Vivian F (B)   Lamb, Rebecca S (A)
Affiliations:	(A): The Ohio State University (B): Yale University

APETALA3 [AP3] and PISTILLATA [PI] are MADS box transcription factors necessary for petal and stamen development within the flower. AP3/PI heterodimers act within larger transcriptional complexes with other MADS box transcription factors and most likely other unidentified co-factors. In order to identify AP3 co-factors, a yeast two-hybrid screen was done in which several putative AP3 binding proteins were identified. One such interacting partner, At5g51410, is a putative RNA interacting protein. Two independent SALK insertion lines within At5g51410 have been obtained. Preliminary results suggest this gene does function during petal and stamen development. The flowers have a variable number of smaller, misshapen petals, and display abnormal stamen development. Work is currently underway to confirm the mutant phenotype of knockouts in At5g51410, characterize its expression pattern, and confirm its interaction with AP3 in planta.