植物C类MADS-box基因的分子进化和功能分化研究

Gene and genome scope duplication events are the important driving force in maintenance of gene family evolution and biological diversity. MADS-box transcription factors family possess significant regulating roles in plant flower organ morphogenesis and development. C-type MADS-box gene AGAMOUS (AG) manages the third and forth flower whorl organ identity, and their homologous also affect fruit growth. AG genes family has been undergone more than once gene duplication events, therefore, their origination, molecular evolution and functional divergence pattern also need to be discussed. There are three C-type MADS-box copies in Physalis floridana, And the PFAG2 protein has been recruited to the fruit cell division regulation pathways, these results suggest that C-function genes in Physalis may be undergone functional divergence after gene duplication. In this project, we mainly want to investigate the molecular evolution pattern of C type gene family in plants and to illuminate their origination and molecular evolutionary rules; to comprehend the impacts of this gene family to flower organ by comparing gene expression, protein interaction patterns in different species. At last, we mainly focus on the functional divergence and its molecular mechanism of AG homologous in Physalis; and these may have important significance to understand the evolutional process of C-function genes in regulating plant flower and fruit organ morphological development.

基因或基因组重复事件是维持基因家族进化和生物多样化的重要推动力。MADS-box转录因子家族在植物花部器官的形态建成和发育中起重要调控作用。C-功能MADS-box基因AGAMOUS（AG）主要控制花部第三、四轮的器官身份，而且它的同源基因也参与果实的发育过程。AG基因家族在植物进化史上发生多次基因重复事件，该基因家族的起源、分子进化和功能分化模式需要进一步探讨。毛酸浆中共存在三个C类MADS-box基因，其中PFAG2参与调控果实细胞分裂的过程，暗示这些同源基因之间可能存在功能分化。本项目拟研究C-功能基因家族在植物中的分子进化模式，揭示基因重复事件的发生及其进化规律；比较研究植物中C类基因在花与果发育过程中的表达和它们的蛋白互作模式理解其对花后器官发育的影响；着重研究AG同源拷贝在毛酸浆花与果发育中的功能分化及其分子机制；这对揭示C-功能基因调控植物花与果形态的进化发育过程具重要意义。