Evolution and Development of Fruits

Question 1

advantages of fruits

Answer 1

protecting seeds, wide dispersal (e.g. coconuts, can go cross-continental, stuff also eats fruits)

Question 2

genes involved in arabadopsis fruit formation

Answer 2

FUL- negative regulator of IND/SHP, helping restrict growth to valve margins for proper fruit development

Question 3

RPL

Answer 3

specifies replum

Question 4

importance of RPL genes

Answer 4

rice domestication, helped stop shattering- potentially working on it with rape

Question 5

fruit shape changes- example

Answer 5

duplicated genes leading to heart shaped fruit in Capsella

seems to be auxin synthesis at valve tips (maybe related to STM at the top also? as mutants aren’t heart shaped)

Question 6

important arabadopsis vs capsella comparison

Answer 6

only cell elongation in ara
capsella has elongation and cell division in later stages of fruit development- potentially a general mechanism where fruit shapes are getting fun

Question 7

STM

Answer 7

auxin induced gene, whose autoactivation leads to shape changes in fruits post-fertilisation