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Genetic
mechanisms of flower color evolution in Iochroma
Flower color is an ideal trait for studying
the genetic basis of phenotypic differences because the pigment
biosynthetic pathways are well-characterized at the genetic
level and highly conserved across flowering plants. My post-doctoral
research focuses on identifying genetic changes in the anthocyanin
pigment pathway responsible for flower color differenes in Iochroma.
Specifically, I am using a candiate gene approach to examine
two specific evolutionary transitions: the shift from
purple to white flowers in
I. loxense and from purple to red flowers in I.
gesnerioides. I
am assessing the association of candidate anthocyanin genes with these
color transitions by (1) examining the cosegregation of candidate genes
with
flower color phenotypes in interspecific crosses between red and purple
and
white and purple species, (2) cloning candidate genes showing
cosegregation to
test their functionality in
vitro, and (3) using expression studies to examine
possible differences in regulation.
Pictured at left: Parsimony reconstruction of flower color
evolution in Iochrominae. Adapted from Smith
and Baum (2007). Shown below are the three species used in
flower color studies and their F1 hybrids.
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