title: Architectural phenotypes in the transparent testa mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: Flavonoids are low molecular weight secondary plant metabolites with a myriad of functions. As flavonoids affect auxin transport (an important growth-controlling hormone) and are biologically active in eukaryotes, flavonoid mutants were expected to have undescribed architectural phenotypes. The Arabidopsis thaliana transparent testa (tt) mutants are compromised in the enzymatic steps or transcriptional regulators affecting flavonoid synthesis. tt mutant seedlings were grown on hard-slanted agar (a stress condition), under varying light conditions, and in soil to examine the resulting growth patterns. These tt mutants revealed a wide variety of architectural phenotypes in root and aerial tissues. Mutants with increased inflorescences, siliques, and lateral root density or reduced stature are traits that could affect plant yield or performance under certain environmental conditions. The regulatory genes affected in architectural traits may provide useful molecular targets for examination in other plants.
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research, School of Science, College of Medicine, Biology, and Environment, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia. charles.buer@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Buer
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Djordjevic
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003470:Culture Media; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005453:Fluorescence; D018546:Hypocotyl / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D011058:Pollen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids; D013395:Sucrose; C080220:aromadedrin; D000362:Agar; C005273:naringenin