Hibiscus bullseyes reveal mechanisms controlling petal pattern proportions that influence plant-pollinator interactions.

ABSTRACT: Colorful flower patterns are key signals to attract pollinators. To produce such motifs, plants specify boundaries dividing petals into subdomains where cells develop distinctive pigmentations, shapes, and textures. While some transcription factors and biosynthetic pathways behind these characteristics are well studied, the upstream processes restricting their activities to specific petal regions remain enigmatic. Here, we unveil that the petal surface of Hibiscus trionum, an emerging model featuring a bullseye on its corolla, is prepatterned as the bullseye boundary position is specified long before it becomes visible. Using a computational model, we explore how pattern proportions are maintained while petals experience a 100-fold size increase. Exploiting transgenic lines and natu

SUBMITTER: Riglet L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11397502 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature