2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Morphological study on "geostrophism" controlling the orientation of zygomorphic flowers
| Project/Area Number |
23657048
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Morphology/Structure
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| Research Institution | Nara Women's University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
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| Keywords | 捻れ成長 / 重力応答 / 左右相称花 / 微小管 / コチョウラン / 重力屈性 / resupination / プレッシャーチェンバー |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The symmetric axis of a zygomorphic flower usually orientates to the direction of gravity, and upon artificial changing of the orientation, the flower rotates so as to recover its original orientation. This rotation of flower is supposed to occur by twisting of the pedicel following sensing of changed direction of gravity, that is, by such a process called "geostrophism". However, little is known about the details of this phenomenon until now. In this study, we chose an orchid Phalaenopsis as an experimental material, measured and analyzed its movement by time-laps video and by marking on the surface of pedicels. In addition, we observed microtubules in the epidermis of the pedicels, and examined the effect of microtubule-destructing reagent, oryzalin, on the movement. The results showed that rotation of flower is certainly due to twisting (geostrophism), not bending (geotropism), of the pedicel, and suggested presence of a novel twisting mechanism that is independent of microtubules.
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| Free Research Field |
Plant morphology and Cell biology
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