Caltech and Non-Caltech students will be considered

Project Title:

Identifying the Molecular Interaction Partner of Leafy, a Floral Meristem Identity Gene Using Two Hybrid Yeast Screens

Project Description:

The constructs necessary have been constructed. An Arabidopis cDNA library derived from floral tissue will be screened for interaction with the Leafy protein. Putative interacting proteins need to be verified, tested, and analyzed. This project involves laboratory work; experiments using molecular biological techniques.

Background Information:

Leafy is the earliest known inducer of flower identity in Arabidopsis. Recently it has been shown that overexpression of Leafy protein allows trees to flower much earlier than usually - indicating that it is sufficient to induce this pathway. However very little is known about downstream events and what other factors are involved before actual flowers can form. This project is aimed at identifying factors that interact with Leafy protein.

Literature references or articles that may provide more information on the project:

Weigel et al, Cell (69) 1992, 843-859
Weigel and Olsen, Nature (377) 1995, 495-500

Requirements (skills, specific coursework, academic major, year in school, etc.):

General Biology, Introduction to Molecular Biology

Research Sponsor Name: Doris Wagner
E-Mail: wagnerd@starbase1.caltech.edu
Division: Biology
Telephone: (818) 395-8438
Address: M/C 156-29

For further information about the project, contact Dr. Wagner or Dr. Meyerowitz

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