Project Reference: TRG27-PLA-BG1
Project title: How to build a (fake) fly: the development of sexually deceptive petal spots in Gorteria diffusa
Project outline
In this exciting project you will work as part of a team to understand the development of sexually deceptive petal spots in a South African daisy.
Importance of Research
This project aims to understand plant radiation and speciation by developing a detailed understanding of the development of the sexually deceptive petal spots in the daisy genus Gorteria. The development of this kind of mimicry has not been studied at the molecular level in any other system.
Project Summary
Gorteria diffusa produces raised dark spots at the base of 1–3 ray florets. These structures are mimics of small bee-flies that are attracted to the petal spots and show an aggregating or mating response, transferring pollen in the process. Petal spot development involves the production of specialised pigments and cell morphologies in a highly ordered arrangement. We will study the genetic basis of this developmental programme.
What will the successful applicant do?
To identify the master regulators of sexually deceptive petal spots in Gorteria diffusa and to understand how they control spot initiation on specific ray florets we will use a powerful new CRISPR-based sequence proximity binding protein labelling system to identify proteins that bind to the promoters of the genes already known to play roles in spot development, pinpointing the master regulator of petal spot development. We will then explore the functions of the genes we identify using expression analyses and transgenic approaches, to build a full picture of how the daisy builds a fake fly.
References
- Thomas, M. et al 2009. Development of a complex floral trait: the pollinator-attracting petal spots of the beetle daisy, Gorteria diffusa (Asteraceae). American Journal of Botany 96, 2184-2196.
- Kellenberger, R. et al (2023) Multiple gene co-options underlie the rapid evolution of sexuallydeceptive flowers inGorteria diffusa.Current Biology33, 1502-1512.
Principal Supervisor
Professor Beverley Glover
Email address: bjg26@cam.ac.uk
Department / Partner Institute: Plant Sciences
Website: https://www.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/evolution-and-development
BBSRC strategic theme
Understanding the rules of life