Identifying Imprinted Genes in Arabidopsis thaliana Seeds
Author Information
Author(s): Peter C. McKeown, Sylvia Laouielle-Duprat, Pjotr Prins, Philip Wolff, Marc W. Schmid, Mark T. A. Donoghue, Antoine Fort, Dorota Duszynska, Aurélie Comte, Nga Thi Lao, Trevor J. Wennblom, Geert Smant, Claudia Köhler, Ueli Grossniklaus, Charles Spillane
Primary Institution: National University of Ireland Galway
Hypothesis
Can we identify additional imprinted loci in flowering plants through genome-wide screening for parent-of-origin specific expression in seed tissues?
Conclusion
The study identified three novel maternally expressed imprinted genes in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds.
Supporting Evidence
- 52 maternally expressed genes were identified through a genome-wide cDNA-AFLP screen.
- Three top-ranked candidate genes were confirmed via Laser-Capture Microdissection and qRT-PCR.
- Differentially methylated regions were identified adjacent to some candidate genes.
Takeaway
Scientists found three important genes in plants that are only active from the mother’s side, which helps us understand how plants grow and develop seeds.
Methodology
The study used cDNA-AFLP to analyze allele-specific expression in seeds from reciprocal F1 hybrids.
Limitations
The study may not capture all imprinted genes due to the specific conditions and methods used.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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