More Stem Cells, Bigger Fruits (IMAGE)
Caption
Scientsts have identified a set of genes that control stem cell production in tomato, the key to fruit size and explaining the origin of giant fruits like the beefsteak. These images show the impact of specific gene mutations on plant architecture and flower formation (top row); fruit size (middle row), and the size of the plant's growing tip, called the meristem (bottom row). The left column (top to bottom), shows a wild-type tomato plant. Compare this with two mutants: one, called fab (middle column), the other called fin (right column). Top row: While the wild-type plant has no branches on the stem that supports flowers, the two mutants show branching -- called fasciation -- and the flowers have extra petals [insets]. Middle row: the wild fruit has 2 compartments, called locules [white arrows], bearing a jelly-like substance and seeds; the mutants have additional locules. Bottom row: the meristems of the two mutants are larger than that of the the wild plant, indicating that they contain more stem cells.
Credit
Lippman Lab, CSHL
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