Detail Page

  • 25133281179187612571641644716603787159407PublicAssets/2418This delicate, birdlike projection is an immature seed of the <em>Arabidopsis</em> plant. The part in blue shows the cell that gives rise to the endosperm, the tissue that nourishes the embryo. The cell is expressing only the maternal copy of a gene called MEDEA. This phenomenon, in which the activity of a gene can depend on the parent that contributed it, is called genetic imprinting. In <em>Arabidopsis</em>, the maternal copy of MEDEA makes a protein that keeps the paternal copy silent and reduces the size of the endosperm. In flowering plants and mammals, this sort of genetic imprinting is thought to be a way for the mother to protect herself by limiting the resources she gives to any one embryo. Featured in the May 16, 2006, issue of <em>Biomedical Beat</em>.Robert Fischer, University of California, BerkeleyRobert Fischer, University of California, BerkeleyPhotograph

    Topic Tags:

    CellsGenes

    Genetic imprinting in Arabidopsis

    View EntryAdd to My Images

    This delicate, birdlike projection is an immature seed of the Arabidopsis plant. The part in blue shows the cell that gives rise to the endosperm, the tissue that nourishes the embryo. The cell is expressing only the maternal copy of a gene called MEDEA. This phenomenon, in which the activity of a gene can depend on the parent that contributed it, is called genetic imprinting. In Arabidopsis, the maternal copy of MEDEA makes a protein that keeps the paternal copy silent and reduces the size of the endosperm. In flowering plants and mammals, this sort of genetic imprinting is thought to be a way for the mother to protect herself by limiting the resources she gives to any one embryo. Featured in the May 16, 2006, issue of Biomedical Beat.

    Source

    Robert Fischer, University of California, Berkeley

    Credit Line

    Robert Fischer, University of California, Berkeley

    Record Type

    Photograph

    ID

    2418

My Images/Videos