4 floral organs

Arabidopsis Flower
Carpels

Stamen

Petals

Ovule

Sepals Placenta

Sepals Petals

Stamen

Carpels

Whorl structure in flowers

1. Whorl 1: Sepals, 2. Whorl 2: Petals 3. Whorl 3: Stamen (male reproductive organs) 4. Whorl 4: Carpels (female reproductive organs)

Differences in gene expression in these whorls must give rise to the different organs that make up the flower.

The ABC model

whorl 1 whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4 whorl 4 whorl 3 whorl 2 whorl 1

Sepal

Petal Stamen Carpel Carpel Stamen Petal

Sepal

AB

BC

BC

AB

B A C

B A

The ABC genes of Arabidopsis

Class A genes APETALA 1 (AP1), APETALA 2 (AP2)

Class B genes

APETALA 3 (AP3), PISTILLATA (PI)

Class C genes

AGAMOUS (AG)

All ABC genes except AP2 encode MADS-box transcription factors.

whorl 1
Sepal

whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4 whorl 4 whorl 3 whorl 2 whorl 1

Petal Stamen Carpel Carpel Stamen Petal Sepal

APETALA 3 PISTILLATA APETALA 1 APETALA 2 AGAMOUS

APETALA 3 PISTILLATA APETALA 1 APETALA 2

Concepts of ABC model

whorl 1 Sepal A whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4 whorl 4 whorl 3 whorl 2 Petal AB Stamen Carpel Carpel Stamen Petal BC C C BC BA whorl 1 Sepal A

WT

B A
Class A mutant
whorl 1 Carpel C BC BC

B C A
whorl 1 Carpel C

whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4 whorl 4 whorl 3 whorl 2 Stamen Stamen Carpel Carpel Stamen Stamen C C BC BC

ap2

C S

B C
Class B mutant
whorl 1 Sepal A

B
whorl 1 Sepal A

whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4 whorl 4 whorl 3 whorl 2 Sepal A Carpel Carpel Carpel Carpel C C C C Sepal A

ap3

C S

A
Class C mutant
whorl 1 Sepal A Petal AB Petal AB

C
whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4 whorl 4 whorl 3 whorl 2 Sepal Sepal Petal AB Petal AB

A
whorl 1 Sepal A

agamous

B A

Antagonistic
A function and C function genes are mutually exclusive:When A function is missing, C function will expand to all whorls When C function is missing, A function will expand to all whorls

B A C

definition: Cadastral map: shows boundaries and ownership of land A + C function: 1. role in organ identity 2. Cadastral role

Double and triple mutant predictions

Example 1 ap2 ap3 or ap2 pi - loss of A and B function. Prediction: whorl 1 whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4

C
carpels are found in all four whorls as predicted

(ap2 ap3)

(ap2 pi)

Double and triple mutant predictions

Example 2 ag ap3 or ag pi - loss of B and C function. Prediction: whorl 1 whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4

A
sepals are found in all four whorls as predicted

(ap2 ap3) (ag pi)

(ap2 pi)

Double and triple mutant predictions

Example 3 ap2 ag - loss of A and C function. Prediction: whorl 1 whorl 2 whorl 3 whorl 4

B
In WT flower this distribution of homeotic products alone does not occur in any whorl. cell fate decision is dependent on ap2 and ag.
B A C

Se

Pe

St

Ca

ap2 ag (ap2 pi)

Prediction W2 and W3 organs undecided- show characteristics of petal and stamen

ABC triple mutant

ap2 ag- whorls with no floral homeotic gene activity produce a non floral type organ ie leaf-like. Therefore, the floral organ developmental ground state is .................

(ap2 pi ag)
In 1790, Goethe suggested that the floral organs are simply refined forms of leaves, which have been transformed by the action of a 'purifying sap'.