Studying inflated calyx syndrome in Physalis grisea

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dc.contributorWoodard, Craig
dc.contributorMcMenamin, Mark
dc.contributor.advisorFrary, Amy
dc.contributor.authorEylath, Naomi
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-02T14:10:24Z
dc.date.available2023-06-02T14:10:24Z
dc.date.gradyear2023en_US
dc.date.issued2023-06-02
dc.description.abstractPhysalis grisea, also known as groundcherry, is a member of the Solanaceae family and possesses a striking morphological novelty called inflated calyx syndrome (ICS). The inflated calyx is a modified version of sepals, which transform into a balloon-like husk that encases the fruit after the flower is fertilized. Because the genetic underpinnings of this trait remain unclear, the purpose of my project was to understand the genes controlling ICS in P. grisea. I focused on four homeotic genes from the MADS-box family, each one regulating an aspect of floral organ development. These genes are MPF3, DEF, TAG1, and EJ2, and previous research in other members of Physalis and the Solanaceae suggests that they are implicated in ICS development. I analyzed the floral morphology and genome sequences of four P. grisea CRISPR-edited mutant lines, each of which had one of the four genes of interest had been knocked out. My findings indicate that MPF3, TAG1, and EJ2 each affect ICS differently: mpf3 led to stunted inflated calyces; tag1 was correlated with a lack of calyx inflation, likely due to male infertility from the transformation of stamens into petaloid organs; and ej2 disrupted ICS development by altering sepal identity and number.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipBiological Sciencesen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10166/6418
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rights.restrictedpublicen_US
dc.subjectDevelopmental Biologyen_US
dc.subjectPlant Biologyen_US
dc.subjectGeneticsen_US
dc.subjectMolecular Biologyen_US
dc.subjectBotanyen_US
dc.subjectPhysalis griseaen_US
dc.subjectGroundcherryen_US
dc.subjectInflated Calyx Syndromeen_US
dc.subjectPlant Genomicsen_US
dc.subjectSolanaceaeen_US
dc.subjectMADS-boxen_US
dc.subjectABC Modelen_US
dc.subjectFloral Quartet Modelen_US
dc.subjectFloral Organ Developmenten_US
dc.subjectMPF3en_US
dc.subjectDEFen_US
dc.subjectTAG1en_US
dc.subjectEJ2en_US
dc.titleStudying inflated calyx syndrome in Physalis griseaen_US
dc.typeThesis
mhc.degreeUndergraduateen_US
mhc.institutionMount Holyoke College

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