Objective Bioactive gibberellins (GAs) are plant hormones that regulate important processes in the life cycle of higher plants. GA deficiency leads to male sterility as a result of abnormal anther development. GAs produced in the embryo and/or endosperm are required for normal seed growth and survival. In tomato (Solarium Lycopersicon L.), synthesis of bioactive GAs takes place in the ovary until it develops completely, and it is induced again as a consequence of pollination. Treatment of wild type tomato flowers w ith gibberellic acid can induce parthenocarpic fruit growth and inhibition of GA biosynthesis prevents fruit growth. Although GAs are indispensable in ovule and fruit development, it is not known which processes are directly regulated by GA. In addition, several other phytohormones are known to be involved in ovule development but it is not clear whether these act together with gibberellins or act independently. Fertility, seed set and fruit development are important traits for crops. We want to understand better the role of GAs, their way of action, and interaction with other hormones in tomato ovule/seed and fruit development. Tomato is an important crop widely used in plant science that can be used as a model for other members of the Solanaceae family, s uch as aubergine and sweet pepper. We want to approach the project objectives with cDNA AFLP to display GA responsive gene activity during ovule development and early fruit growth. In addition, from this genome wide transcript profile also an inventory can be made of developmentally regulated genes in the ovule. The function of most interesting genes will be analyzed in mutant tomato plants or in mutants from other species. The Marie Curie Return and Reintergration Grant can make possible the establishment of a thorough inventory of tomato genes involved in ovule and early fruit development and GA responsive genes. This transcript profile can be the basis of extensive rese# Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growingsocial sciencessociologydemographyfertilitymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbotany Keywords Solanaceae fertility gibberellins ovary ovule phytohormones tomato Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-4.1 - Marie Curie European Reintegration Grants (ERG) Call for proposal FP6-2002-MOBILITY-11 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERG - Marie Curie actions-European Re-integration Grants Coordinator STICHTING KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT Address Toernooiveld 1 Nijmegen Netherlands See on map EU contribution € 0,00
