Seed shape in model legumes: approximation by a cardioid reveals differences in ethylene insensitive mutants of Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula

Seed shape in the model legumes Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula is described. Based on previous work with Arabidopsis, the longitudinal section of seeds is compared with a cardioid, the trajectory described by a point of a circle that rolls around another fixed circle with the same radius. L...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cervantes, Emilio, Martín Gómez, José Javier, Kuen Chan, Pick, Gresshoff, Peter M., Tocino, Ángel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2012
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/52872
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/52872
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:semillas
leguminosas
forma
Cardioide
Proporción áurea
Descripción
Sumario:Seed shape in the model legumes Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula is described. Based on previous work with Arabidopsis, the longitudinal section of seeds is compared with a cardioid, the trajectory described by a point of a circle that rolls around another fixed circle with the same radius. Lotus japonicus seeds adjust well to an unmodified cardioid, whereas accurate adjustment in Medicago truncatula is obtained by the simple transformation of scaling the vertical axis by a factor of the Golden Ratio. Adjustment of seed shape with simple geometrical forms becomes an essential tool for the statistical analysis of variations in seed shape under different environmental or genetic (i.e., mutant) conditions. Seeds of ethylene insensitive mutants present differences in size and shape as well as altered responses to imbibition. The biological implication and meaning of these relationships are discussed.