Modeling the Morphometric Evolution of the Maize Shoot Apical Meristem
Samuel Leiboff1, Christopher K DeAllie1, Michael J Scanlon1
1Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|November 22, 2016
Summary
Maize shoot apical meristem (SAM) shape analysis reveals genetic control of plant architecture. Modeling the SAM as a paraboloid provides a simple, effective method for high-throughput phenotyping and genetic studies.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Genetics
- Computational biology
Background:
- The shoot apical meristem (SAM) is crucial for plant development, producing all above-ground tissues.
- High-throughput phenotyping requires accurate and efficient methods for quantifying SAM morphology.
- Understanding the genetic basis of SAM morphology can reveal insights into plant architecture.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate two quantitative image processing methods for describing maize SAM morphology.
- To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with SAM shape variation in maize and its relatives.
- To explore the universality of SAM shape across diverse plant taxa.
Main Methods:
- Approximating the maize SAM as a paraboloid to derive morphological estimators.
- Utilizing a Fourier-transform related method for comprehensive shape analysis.
- Analyzing shoot apex contours from maize, wild relatives, and anciently diverged plant taxa.
Main Results:
- Paraboloid estimation identified eight QTL for SAM morphology, implicating known and novel candidate genes.
- Fourier transform analysis detected cryptic SAM shape variation and identified QTL on six chromosomes.
- Both methods yielded highly correlated results and identified similar QTL.
- Parabolic SAM shape appears to be a conserved feature across diverse plant species.
Conclusions:
- Paraboloid modeling offers a facile and phenotypically accurate approach for high-throughput SAM morphology studies.
- Quantitative analysis of SAM shape provides valuable insights into the genetic architecture of plant development.
- Conserved parabolic SAM shape suggests fundamental developmental constraints or advantages.
Related Concept Videos
03:02Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots
61.2K
Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.
61.2K
02:36Meristems and Plant Growth
50.3K
Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.
50.3K
02:19Morphogenesis
30.7K
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.
30.7K
02:16Light Acquisition
9.7K
In order to produce glucose, plants need to capture sufficient light energy. Many modern plants have evolved leaves specialized for light acquisition. Leaves can be only millimeters in width or tens of meters wide, depending on the environment. Due to competition for sunlight, evolution has driven the evolution of increasingly larger leaves and taller plants, to avoid shading by their neighbors with contaminant elaboration of root architecture and mechanisms to transport water and nutrients.
9.7K