Background Introduction

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Background Introduction

• By Bensen Fan
• Kristin Gill
• Maria Garcia

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Part I. Seed Development

• By Bensen Fan

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Seed Anatomy
Axis
Cotyledon
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Flower Anatomy
Anthers (Makes Pollens)
Stigma
Ovary (Contains ovules)
Pistil
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Pollination Fertilization Forming of a New
Life!
Pollen Tube
Sperms
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Embryo Development Zygote - Young Embryo
Apical Cell
Embryo Proper
Suspensor
Basal Cell
Asymmetric Division
Terminally Differentiated
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Late Development Torpedo - Mature Embryo
SM Shoot Meristem RM Root Meristem
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Final Stage Dormancy
Mature Seeds
Dormant Seeds
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Germination Beginning of a New Cycle
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Part II. Arabidopsis thaliana Embryo Development

• By Kristin Grill

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What is the life cycle of an Arabidopsis plant?
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What happens during embryo development?
EMBRYO SAC
GLOBULAR
HEART
TORPEDO
MATURATION

• Each stage is essential for embryo development!

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Embryos develop after double fertilization

• Early embryos consist of 2 regions
• 1. Embryo Proper
• 2. Suspensor

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Early embryo development is a very coordinated
developmental process
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The parts of a globular embryo undergo different
fates
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Late embryo development
Heart Stage
Torpedo Stage
2 cotyledons

• consists of cotyledon and axis development!

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Mature Embryo

• Consists of
• Cotyledons
• Axis
• - contains the shoot and root meristems

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Part III Why is Arabidopsis Thaliana a model
plant?
By Maria Garcia
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Heres Why

• Arabidopsis Thaliana is convenient. It has a
• Fast generation time
• Small genome
• Large mutant collections
• Large scientific community working on all aspects
  of plant biology

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How fast does it grow?

• Short non-seasonal generation time
• Grows all year
• 4 to 8 weeks from a seed to a mature plant

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How small is it?

• Arabidopsis has a small genome
• 120Mb (25,000 genes- same as humans!)
• Arabidopsis genome was sequenced in the year 2000

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Easy to Manipulate

• Large mutant collections
• Chemical
• Insertional
• Knock-Out!
• Easily manipulated
• Genetically tractable

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Everyone is in on it

• Large scientific community working on all aspects
  of plant biology
• Many resources on this plant already
• Much is already known about this plant