The thesis begins with an introduction to signal transduction
and an analysis of current understanding of plant signal
transduction. There are similarities between plants and animals,
but also key differences, including lack of protein kinase C and of a
cAMP signaling pathway in plants, and presence in plants of
calcium...
The phytohormones auxin and cytokinin control plant development through a complex network of interactions which include synergistic, additive, and opposite effects whose mechanisms are unknown. The auxin-insensitive diageotropica (dgt) mutant provided a tool to dissect the relationship between auxin- and cytokinin-induced responses in tomato. Morphological, physiological, and molecular data support...
The plant hormone auxin regulates many aspects of plant growth and
development. At the cellular level, auxin can stimulate cell division, cell elongation, and
cell differentiation. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that mediate auxin
action at this level, although changes in gene expression have been implicated in each...
Plant growth, development, and environmental responsiveness are
dependent on hormone-induced gene expression. This dissertation reports
multiple interactions between the plant hormones auxin and ethylene and
investigates their contribution to the gravitropic response, elongation
growth, adventitious root formation, callus and tracheary element initiation
and growth, and flower development.
Four mutants of...
The auxin-resistant diageotropica (dgt) mutant of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) has a pleiotropic phenotype including a lack of lateral roots and reduced gravitropic response, apical dominance, vascular development, and fruit growth. The dgt mutation reduces the auxin sensitivity of only a subset of auxin responses while levels, metabolism, and transport...
Plant hormones regulate progression through the different phases of plant development in response to endogenous and environmental cues. Gene expression studies, as well as genetic and molecular analysis of mutants with altered hormonal responses, are two common approaches to elucidate hormone response pathways. This dissertation compares ovary and fruit development...
The diageotropica (dgt) mutation has been proposed to affect either auxin
perception or responsiveness in tomato plants. Auxins and cytokinins are plant
growth regulators known to interact with each other via a variety of mechanisms.
Here, we report the interactions of auxins and cytokinins in VFN8 wild-type and
dgt mutant...