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SUMMARY:Cell-Cell Communication during Fertilization in Arabidopsis: a Sur
 prising Link to Disease Resistance - Prof. Ueli Grossniklaus - Institute o
 f Plant Biology\, University of Zurich
DTSTART:20091126T143000Z
DTEND:20091126T163000Z
UID:TALK20122@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Cath Tinley
DESCRIPTION:*Research in our laboratory focuses on the developmental genet
 ics of plant reproduction. Our studies have shown that both genetic and ep
 igenetic mechanisms play a key role in plant reproduction. In this seminar
  I will focus on cell-cell interactions during double fertilization. We ha
 ve isolated a female gametophytic mutant\, feronia\, which disrupts double
  fertilization: in feronia mutant embryo sacs the pollen tubes\, even if w
 ild-type\, are unable to release the sperm cells to effect fertilization (
 Huck et al.\, 2003\, Development 130: 2149). This phenotype suggests that 
 the female gametophyte plays a crucial role in pollen tube reception and\,
  thus\, controls the behaviour of the male gametophyte. The feronia mutant
  defines novel signalling processes between the male and female gametophyt
 es in the process of double fertilization FERONIA was shown to encode a re
 ceptor-like kinase of a plant-specific subfamily (Escobar-Restrepo et al.\
 , 2007\, Science 317: 656). Interestingly\, some interspecific crosses res
 ult in phenotypes that are very similar to those observed in the feronia m
 utant. I will report on the molecular and biochemical characterization of 
 FERONIA and on our search for additional components of this signal transdu
 ction process using genetic and biochemical approaches. Our recent attempt
 s to identify novel components of the FERONIA signal transduction pathway 
 have identified surprising links to disease resistance in plants. The evol
 utionary implications of these findings will be discussed.*
LOCATION:Part II room\,  Department of Genetics
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