title: A G protein alpha null mutation confers prolificacy potential in maize.
abstract: Plasticity in plant development is controlled by environmental signals through largely unknown signalling networks. Signalling coupled by the heterotrimeric G protein complex underlies various developmental pathways in plants. The morphology of two plastic developmental pathways, root system architecture and female inflorescence formation, was quantitatively assessed in a mutant compact plant 2 (ct2) lacking the alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein complex in maize. The ct2 mutant partially compensated for a reduced shoot height by increased total leaf number, and had far more ears, even in the presence of pollination signals. The maize heterotrimeric G protein complex is important in some plastic developmental traits in maize. In particular, the maize Gα subunit is required to dampen the overproduction of female inflorescences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Coker Hall, NC 27599-3280, USA.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Urano
authors.affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Coker Hall, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA alan_jones@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D002523:Edible Grain / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Cell division; G protein; development; ear; maize; signalling.