Characterization of the Expression Profile of WEEP, A Gene That Regulates Branch Orientation in Trees

Science Center, Bent Corridor

A weeping branch phenotype in peach was recently found to be caused by a deletion in a previously uncharacterized gene, now named WEEP. WEEP is highly conserved throughout vascular plants on the protein level, and contains a sterile alpha motif (SAM), which is known to play a role in protein-protein and protein-DNA binding. Interestingly, Arabidopsis weep mutants showed no visible phenotype, yet expression was detected in wild type plants, suggesting it has a function in herbaceous plants. To begin to characterize its function in Arabidopsis, tissue-specific expression patterns of WEEP were studied using plants containing a pWEEP::GUS reporter construct. GUS staining patterns revealed that WEEP is highly expressed in developing shoots, flowers, and siliques. Additionally, expression changes in response to altered light and gravity conditions were investigated and a bioinformatic analysis of the WEEP promoter was performed.