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Nicole Maturen
Ph.D. student
B.S., Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
U-M affiliation
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Contact information
University of Michigan
Phone: (734) 764-6219
Fax: (734) 763-0544
Email: nmaturen@umich.edu
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Fields of study
The genetic basis of petaloidy in the bracts of dogwood
Research interests
Dogwood tree Cornus kousa is known for its specialized bracts that surround the inflorescence and recall the bright, attractive petals of a large flower, even upon anatomical inspection. Genes from three classes (A, B and E) work in combination to specify a petal according to the ABC(DE) model of flower development, which is especially well-supported among the eudicots, of which Cornus is a member. Moreover, overexpression of an A and/or E class gene along with the two B class genes has been shown to be sufficient to convert vegetative leaves into petals in Arabidopsis. We have isolated members of these highly-conserved classes of petal-organ-identity genes from C. kousa: the A-class gene CkAP1, the B-class genes CkPI and CkAP3, and the E class gene CkSEP. We used RT-PCR to detect gene expression in bracts, leaves (negative control) and flowers (positive control). All four of these C. kousa genes are expressed in flowers and appear not to be expressed in leaves. At least three of the four genes are also expressed in petaloid bracts, suggesting that these petal genes are turning leaves into ‘petals’ in this species.
Academic background
B.S., Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Advisors
George Estabrook, Michael Frohlich at the Natural History Museum, London
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