Professor Jennifer Fletcher

Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

“Characterizing the Role of Ultrapetala, Kanadi and Ettin Genes in the Arabidopsis Fruit Development”

Arabidopsis is a model plant belonging to the Brassicaceae species. Fruits of Arabidopsis thaliana, which are typical of the species Brassicaceae develop from a gynoecium that consists of two fused carpels. The ultrapetala (ULT), kanadi (KAN) and ettin(ETT) genes are among the many genes that play an important role in fruit development. Mutations in Ultrapetala, Kanadi or Ettin genes cause defects in fruit formation in Arabidopsis. The Ultrapetala 1 gene encodes a SAND domain that controls shoot and floral meristem activity in Arabidopsis, while the Kanadi genes regulate organ polarity. Arabidopsis plants were genotyped for mutations in these genes and the phenotypes were analyzed to determine the effects of mutations in fruit development. Analyzing the characteristic phenotypes of a plant with mutations and comparing it to a plant that does not contain any mutations helps us determine the function of the particular gene. Furthermore, examining the effects of a combination of mutations enables us to understand the interactions between the genes. The plants were genotyped for mutations in the ult, kan and ett genes and we analyzed the phenotypes to determine the effects of the mutations on fruit development. Genotyping was done using molecular techniques-DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis. The fruits of these plants were examined under a microscope to determine the effects of the mutations and compared to the fruits of a plant with no mutations to understand the roles of ultrapetala, kanadi and ettin genes.

Priyanka is currently attending Laney College and Berkeley City College and hopes to transfer to UC Berkeley or Davis in Fall 2012. She maintains a GPA of 3.7 and intends to major in Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis on Immunology and a minor in Creative writing. She has been a volunteer for the American Red Cross for a year and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society. After finishing undergraduate studies, she would like to continue on with a graduate degree. Priyanka would eventually like to contribute in some way in science and technology in developing countries.