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SUMMARY:Petal Surface Structures &amp\; Pollinator Attraction - Alison Ree
 d
DTSTART:20130606T153000Z
DTEND:20130606T160000Z
UID:TALK44299@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Megan Cooper
DESCRIPTION:Petal epidermal structures have been shown to influence the op
 tical and tactile properties of the angiosperm flower\, and this can have 
 implications for pollinator response. In this project I have adopted a mul
 tidisciplinary approach to investigate the functions and origins of two ce
 ll morphologies\; conical cells and diffraction gratings.\n\nIt has previo
 usly been shown that diffraction gratings are capable of producing floral 
 iridescence\, and that this effect is visible to bees. In this project I a
 m investigating the wider implications of this for bee foraging speed and 
 floral identity. I am also looking more closely at the limits of floral gr
 atings in an attempt to quantify the link between structural disorder and 
 pollinator response.\n\nTo investigate the origins of conical cells and di
 ffraction gratings I first conducted an SEM survey of ANA-grade flowers. F
 rom this I identified Cabomba sp. and Illicium sp. as candidates for the i
 solation of MIXTA and SHN. These are genes that have been functionally cha
 racterised in the eudicots and are known to be involved in the development
  of conical cells and cuticular striations. In this talk I present the res
 ults of overexpression studies in Nicotiana tabacum\, which suggest that t
 he CaboMIXTA protein has retained its function as a driver of conical cell
  formation. 
LOCATION:Biffen Lecture Theater\, Department of Genetics
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