Cloning and characterization of a maize Auxin Response Factor (ARF) for potential role in plant development
Student name: Ms Ishita Bajaj
Guide: Dr Anandita Singh
Year of completion: 2017
Host Organisation: National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Ananda K. Sarkar
Abstract: Auxin Response Factors (ARF), in general, are known to be involved in various
aspects of plant development by modulating auxin signaling. However, molecular
role of many such ARFs is still to be understood. ARF34 of Zea mays (ZmARF34)
has been identified as a homolog of AtARF7, AtARF19 of Arabidopsis thaliana.
AtARF7 and AtARF19 are responsible for leaf and lateral root development in A.
thaliana, while role of ZmARF34 in plant development is not well studied. In
Arabidopsis, arf7arf19 double mutant completely lacks lateral roots. In current
study, we tried to address the developmental role and possible functional
conservation between ZmARF34 and AtARF7, AtARF19. For this, we first cloned
ZmARF34, in regular cloning vector and later in binary vector under constitutive
CaMV 35Spromoter, and transformed this construct in wild type and arf7arf19
double mutant plants using Agrobacterium mediated floral dip method. Transgenic
plants (T1 generation) were selected on antibiotic selection. We have done
preliminary analysis of T1 transgenic plants; however, further analysis in next
generation would be required to confirm developmental phenotype and possible
rescue of arf7arf19 phenotype.
Keywords: Auxin Response factor, lateral root, cloning, overexpression, functional
conservation.
