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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208508
Title: Molecular Genetic and Genomic Approaches to Study Flowering and Early Fruit Development in Cucumis

Author
item GRUMET, REBECCA - MICHIGAN ST UNIVERSITY
item LITTLE, HOLLY - MICHIGAN ST UNIVERSITY
item PAPADOPOULOU, EKATERINA - MICHIGAN ST UNIVERSITY
item ANDO, KAORI - MICHIGAN ST UNIVERSITY
item VERGARA, GEORGINA - MICHIGAN ST UNIVERSITY
item MCGRATH, JON

Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome VX Conference Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2006
Publication Date: 1/17/2007
Citation: Grumet, R., Little, H.A., Papadopoulou, E., Ando, K., Vergara, G., McGrath, J.M. 2007. Molecular Genetic and Genomic Approaches to Study Flowering and Early Fruit Development in Cucumis [abstract]. Annual International Plant & Animal Genome XV Conference. Paper No. W97.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We have utilized a transgenic approach to study sex expression in melon as regulated by ethylene production and perception. These studies have indicated dual roles for ethylene in sex determination and maturation of the carpel bearing flower, as well as involvement of ethylene in fruit set and resource partitioning on the vine. The use of floral organ specific promoters has indicated that perception by stamen primordia is critical for carpel development at the time of sex determination, but perception by the carpel is critical for maturation of the carpel-bearing flower. Studies of young, developing cucumber have indicated a developmental, and stem- to blossom-end-associated, transition coinciding with the end of the period of rapid fruit elongation, that leads to resistance to infection by the oomycete pathogen, Phytophtora capsici. We have produced cucumber fruit and leaf EST libraries and have observed expected tissue-specific differences in categories of represented gene sequences; e.g. analysis of ca. 850 leaf and 1800 fruit sequences shows that photosynthesis-associated genes comprised 26% of the sequenced leaf ESTs and 5% of the fruit ESTs. The cucumber fruit library is being used to produce a microarray for analysis of changes in gene expression associated with young cucumber fruit development, and the transition to resistance to P. capsici infection.