Plant Genome IV Conference Plant Genome IV Conference
Studies on the processes controlling sideshoot formation could not only give insight into a central function of the shoot apical meristem but could also open up the possibility to influence the architecture of plants. Using positional cloning we were able to isolate candidates for the Lateral suppressor gene, which upon mutation causes a suppresssion of lateral meristem development during vegetative growth and a lack of petals in the flower. The integration of the ls locus into the RFLP-map identified two closely linked flanking RFLP markers which allowed bridging the ls locus with a single YAC. Among 30 cDNAs which we isolated by using the YAC as a probe in a screening of a shoottip cDNA library we could identify one clone which showed perfect cosegregation. Using this clone as an anchor we established a contig of overlapping cosmids which cover the cosegregating interval of 60kb. Inside this contig we could identify two additional candidate genes. Ongoing transformation experiments will show which of the three candidates is able to complement the ls mutant phenotype. Data on structure and possible functions of the three genes will be presented.