title: Transposon induced chimeras show that floricaula, a meristem identity gene, acts non-autonomously between cell layers.
abstract: Flower meristems comprise several distinct cell layers. To understand the role of cell interactions between and within these layers, we have generated plants chimeric for a key floral homeotic gene, floricaula (flo). These chimeras arose in Antirrhinum by excision of a transposon, restoring flo gene function. Activity of flo in a subset of cell layers gives fertile flowers with an abnormal morphology. This shows that flo can act non-autonomously between layers, although some aspects of its function are impaired. In addition, we show that flo exhibits some cell-autonomy within layers.
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coen
mesh_terms: D002450:Cell Communication; D002678:Chimera; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements