Improving understanding of developing plant organs and plant architecture
In this theme we are developing a better understanding of how individual plant cells respond to the genetic instructions that they receive and how these cells then develop to create specific plant organs such as leaves, roots, flowers, fruit and seeds.
We are integrating findings on plant hormones and other signalling mechanisms to understand how these influence plant growth through the division and elongation of cells.
Within this research theme we are developing computational models to shape and test our understanding of plant architecture and organ development.
This research is identifying useful variations of genes which control organ shape and structure, information which can be used in developing future crop plants to improve yield.
Selected publications from ‘Improving understanding of developing plant organs and plant architecture’
2022
- A phloem-expressed PECTATE-LYASE-LIKE gene promotes cambium and xylem development
- High expression of the MADS-box gene VRT2 increases the number of rudimentary basal spikelets in wheat
2021
- Cell size controlled in plants using DNA content as an internal scale
- Arabidopsis thaliana HOMEOBOX GENE 1 controls plant architecture by locally restricting environmental responses
- Ectopic expression of Triticum polonicum VRT-A2 underlies elongated glumes and grains in hexaploidy wheat in dosage dependent manner
2020
- Intrinsic cell polarity coupled to growth axis formation in tobacco BY-2 Cells – Chan et al
- Heartbreak controls post translational modification of INDEHISCENT to regulate fruit morphology in Capsella – Dong et al
- Variation in the expression of a transmembrane protein influences cell growth in Arabidopsis thaliana petals by altering auxin responses – Miller et al
2019
- Fruit development and diversification – Dong and Østergaard
- Regulatory Diversification of INDEHISCENT in the Capsella Genus Directs Variation in Fruit Morphology – Dong et al
- Trait analysis reveals DOG1 determines initial depth of seed dormancy, but not changes during dormancy cycling that result in seedling emergence timing – Footitt et al
- How can developmental biology help feed a growing population? – Boden and Østergaard
- Female reproductive organ formation: A multitasking endeavour – Simoninin and Østergaard
- The power of model-to-crop translation illustrated by reducing seed loss from pod shatter in oilseed rape – Stephenson et al
- Two Auxin Response Elements Fine-Tune PINOID Expression During Gynoecium Development in Arabidopsis thaliana – Kuhn et al
- Systems biology approach pinpoints minimum requirements for auxin distribution during fruit opening – Li et al
2018
- Spatiotemporal coordination of cell division and growth during organ morphogenesis – Fox et al
- Ectopic BASL Reveals Tissue Cell Polarity throughout Leaf Development in Arabidopsis thaliana – Mansfield et al
- Morphometrics of complex cell shapes: Lobe Contribution Elliptic Fourier Analysis (LOCO-EFA) – Sanchez Corrales et al