To do this we are examining a set of several CRFs or Cytokinin Response Factors in Arabidopsis and recently also in tomato. CRF are transcription factors that are named after the AP2/ERF or Ethylene Response Factor family of which they are members.

     We are taking similar approaches (molecular, genetic, and phenotype analyses at the whole plant, tissue and cellular level) in both Arabidopsis and tomato to understand the role of CRF in cytokinin based growth and development.

  CRFs in Arabidopsis
 
 In Arabidopsis we have made full use of the tools available in this genetic model system to study CRFs. Mutants, microarrays, bioassays, and protein movement studies have generated the baseline of information on CRFs. We are continuing to build on these results to gain a better understanding of how and where CRFs function in plant development.

CRFs in Tomato (SlCRFs)

 In tomato we have identified and are beginning to characterize all of the CRFs, known as SlCRFs in this species. Initial work has established basic tissue expression patterns throughout the plant and the response of SlCRFs to various treatments, with a specific role on examining cytokinin. Work is also in progress to generate and examine transgenic lines with altered SlCRF levels as well as transcriptome-wide analyses of cytokinin response.

Work on this project  is supported by funding from USDA and AAES-HATCH

 

 

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