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Abstract Detail



Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)

Nikolov, Lachezar [1], Endress, Peter [2], Sugumaran, M [3], Sasirat, Sawitree [4], Vessabutr, Suyanee [4], Kramer, Elena [5], Davis, Charles [6].

Developmental origins of the world’s largest flowers.

Rafflesiaceae produce the world’s largest flowers, but despite their fame the floral developmental basis of these giants has remained a mystery. In lieu of a functional genetic system to investigate development in these highly specialized holoparasites, we used a multi-pronged approach integrating comparative morphological and molecular data to assign putative homologies to the enigmatic floral organs of Rafflesiaceae. We have studied the early development of all genera in the family – Rafflesia, Rhizanthes and Sapria, using serial sectioning and SEM. We have also cloned MADS-box genes from Rafflesiaceae and their closest relatives Euphorbiaceae and Peraceae to characterize the gene expression profiles in floral organs. Using this synthetic approach we show how the floral bauplan of Rafflesiaceae is elaborated idiosyncratically in each genus through differential intercalary growth and floral fusion, and provide likely evolutionary scenarios to explain these changes.

Broader Impacts:


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1 - Harvard University, 22 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
2 - UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH, BOT GARTEN & INST FUR SYS BOT, ZOLLIKERSTRASSE 107, ZURICH, CH-8008, Switzerland
3 - Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
4 - Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 7, Maerim, Chiang Mai, 50180, Thailand
5 - Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
6 - Harvard University, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Herbaria, 22 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

Keywords:
Rafflesiaceae
ABC model
Floral development
Homology.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 47
Location: Jasperwood/Riverside Hilton
Date: Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
Time: 2:15 PM
Number: 47004
Abstract ID:874
Candidate for Awards:Katherine Esau Award


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