Description
It has been known for decades that micronutrient copper is essential for plant growth, development, fertility, and seed yield. However, which plant reproductive organs require copper, how copper is delivered to these structures, and how it acts to ensure fertility is not entirely understood. In this poster I will present my research findings as well as some previous investigations done in the Vatamaniuk Lab derived from Synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microscopy (2D-SXRF) at the nanoscale, 3D and 2D confocal synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microscopy (2D and 3D C-SXRF), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Confocal microscopy, Fluorescence/DIC microscopy, etc. These techniques allowed to identify surface alterations, highlight developmental issues, and track the spatial distribution of copper in the floral organs of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. I will also briefly mention the role of two transcription factors, CITF1 and SPL7, in controlling copper uptake, delivery to the specific sites in flowers and the impact of these transcription factors on the development of the male and female gametophytes. Our new findings broaden our knowledge of copper's function in plant reproduction and raise the possibility that it may play a signaling role in the development of reproductive organs.