Abstract Detail

Lightning Talks – Germinating Ideas

Gallagher, Evan [1], Harkess, Alex [2], Moore, Rich [3].

The origin and expression of sex-linked genes in Vasconcellea parviflora.

Plant sex chromosomes have evolved independently multiple times and are found in roughly 6% of angiosperm species. The Caricaceae have an ancestral state of hermaphroditism and an evolved state of dioecy (separate sexes). This transition from hermaphroditism to dioecy is fairly recentand offers an excellent system to study young sex chromosomes. Carica papaya is the most commonly studied species within this family; however, sex chromosomes are present in most species, including in the species rich genus Vasconcellea. The sex chromosomes (XY) in Vasconcellea parviflora are homomorphic and only discernable through genetic analysis. Sexes can easily be ascertained, however, through the identification of sexually dimorphic flowers. Genetic regulation of sex expression is the key mechanisms underlying dioecy in plants. The purpose of this study is twofold: use a comparative genomic approach to determine if the sex determining region of V. parviflora is shared across Caricaceae in comparation to C. papaya and identify morphological differences based on differentially expression genes. I predict that V. parviflora and C. papaya will share a homologous sex-determining region that has expanded through species diversification, and morphological differences between male and female sexes of V. parviflora are due to differentially expressed genes linked to the sex-determining regions.

1 - Miami University, Biology Department, 700 E High Street, PSN 341, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
2 - Auburn University, HudsonAlpha Institute For Biotechnology, Harkess Lab, HudsonAlpha Institute For Biotechnology, 601 Genome Way, Huntsville, AL, 35806, United States
3 - Miami University, Biology, 316 Pearson, Oxford, OH, 45056, United States

Keywords:
Sex chromosome
sex linked
Dioecy
Reproductive transition.

Presentation Type: Germinating Ideas Lightning Talk
Number:
Abstract ID:720
Candidate for Awards:None