Abstract Detail

Characteristics of nectar, nectaries, and nectar spurs

Katzer, Amanda [1], Wessinger, Carolyn [2], Hileman, Lena [3].

Nectary specific gene expression in Penstemon.

Plants may exhibit a suite of traits in their flowers known as a pollination syndrome to efficiently attract and use biotic pollinators. In studies of these traits, an important question is what underlies ecologically important differences in nectar volume between species adapted to different pollinators. In the genus, Penstemon, it was previously demonstrated that nectary size (area) differs significantly between closely related species that exhibit differing pollination syndromes, suggesting that developmental differences of the nectary drive the evolution of nectar volume. To begin to understand developmental differences in nectaries in Penstemon, we have identified nectary-specific differentially expressed genes between the hummingbird adapted Penstemon barbatus and the bee adapted Penstemon neomexicanus. We narrowed this list of candidate genes by using the F1 hybrid to detect cis-regulated genes that differ between the two previously mentioned species. The genes identified will further our understanding of nectary size differences and the development of modified-trichome nectaries.

1 - University of Kansas, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., Haworth Hall, Lawrence, Kansas, 66045, United States
2 - University of South Carolina, Biological Sciences, 631 Sumter St, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
3 - University Of Kansas, Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States

Keywords:
nectaries
development
RNA-seq
Penstemon.

Presentation Type: Colloquium Presentations
Session: COL02, Characteristics of nectar, nectaries and nectar spurs
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: COL02005
Abstract ID:203
Candidate for Awards:Katherine Esau Award,Maynard F. Moseley Award