Who with whom:
University of Hohenheim investigating gene responsible for reproduction in plants [05.01.12]
The EVOREP (Evolutionary Genomics of Plant Reproductive Isolation) project is aimed at solving a problem well-known to plant breeders.
“Birds of a feather flock together”, says an old proverb, yet that does not always hold true in the plant realm. For breeders, the inability to cross closely-related species is sometimes problematic. Prof. Dr. Karl Schmid, professor for crop biodiversity and breeding informatics at the University of Hohenheim, wants to find out now why that is so. EVOREP is a research project which is aiming at getting to the bottom of this issue and has been endowed by the DFG (German research funding organisation) with a grant of €284,000.00. This makes it a heavyweight among the University’s research activities.
In order to find the answer to this riddle, Prof. Dr. Schmid needs first to isolate those genes which are important for reproduction. The plant’s reproductive organs, for instance the stamina, are the best places to begin - there where pollen is formed.
Evolution on the fast track
“In evolutionary genetics there is a theory which states that genes which spur reproduction evolve faster than other genes”, according to Prof. Dr. Schmid. “We want to put this hypothesis to the test.” To get to know the tricks of turbo evolution, Prof. Dr. Schmid and his colleagues plan to sequence the respective genes and put their DNA under the microscope. Prof. Dr. Schmid believes that “a large degree of genetic diversity among various species would be an important indication of more rapid evolution.” The greater the differences, the faster the genetic evolution.
Natural selection is a reason for faster genetic evolution. It can be to a species’ advantage to not cross-pollinate with close relatives by utilising foreign pollen to obstruct fertilisation. Here is an example: A plant which has adapted to a warmer climate will not cross with a related species which has become accustomed to regions with normally lower temperatures. An offspring of such parents would be unsuited to both regions.
A battle between the sexes could provide a further explanation for evolution on the fast track. After fertilisation, the mother’s valuable resources are distributed to the fertilised egg in order to produce the seeds.A conflict of interests then arises between the mother and the father regarding the distribution of resources. “A race takes place whereby the winner, the gene of either the father or the mother, then gets its way”, Prof. Dr. Schmid explains.
Trial and error
Prof. Dr. Schmid and his project partners want to put genes which are important for reproduction to the acid test. That means alterning their usual function. “For instance we can switch a plant’s gene with the corresponding one from a close relative and see what effects that has on its reproductive capabilities. That will tell us whether or not it prevents closley-related species from cross-pollinating.”
The results which Prof. Dr. Schmid is hoping to gain from his investigations will provide profound insights into the origins of plant diversity. Breeders will also be excited about the prospect of preventing outcrossing from genetically-modified plants on a long-term basis.
Background: EVOREP project
Researchers from the universities of Düsseldorf, Regensburg and Zurich are also working on the project alongside Prof. Dr. Schmid and on equal footing. The DFG has endowed the project with a grant of nearly €284,000.00.
Background: Heavyweight research projects
Last year researchers at the University of Hohenheim received nearly €31 mil. in third-party funding. The series “Schwergewichte der Forschung“ (heavyweights of research) highlights outstanding research endeavours which have been endowed with a quarter of a million euros or, in the case of economics, business and social sciences, €125,000.00.
Text: Weik / Klebs, Transl.: O'Mealy
Contact for press:
Prof. Dr. Karl Schmid, Universität Hohenheim, Fachgebiet Nutzpflanzenbiodiversität und Züchtungsinformatik, Tel.: 0711/459-23487, E-Mail: Karl.Schmid@uni-hohenheim.de
