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The GUS Reporter System in Flower Development Studies

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Flower Development

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2686))

Abstract

The β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene system is an important technique with versatile uses in the study of flower development in a broad range of species. Transcriptional and translational GUS fusions are used to characterize gene and protein expression patterns, respectively, during reproductive development. Additionally, GUS reporters can be used to map cis-regulatory elements within promoter sequences and to investigate whether genes are regulated post-transcriptionally. Gene trap/enhancer trap GUS constructs can be used to identify novel genes involved in flower development and marker lines useful in mutant characterization. Flower development studies primarily have used the histochemical assay in which inflorescence tissue from transgenic plants containing GUS reporter genes are stained for GUS activity and examined as whole-mounts or subsequently embedded into wax and examined as tissue sections. In addition, quantitative GUS activity assays can be performed on either floral extracts or intact flowers using a fluorogenic GUS substrate. Another use of GUS reporters is as a screenable marker for plant transformation. A simplified histochemical GUS assay can be used to quickly identify transgenic tissues.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC, USA

    C. Nathan Hancock

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    Janaki S. Mudunkothge & Beth A. Krizek

Authors
  1. Janaki S. Mudunkothge
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  2. C. Nathan Hancock
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  3. Beth A. Krizek
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Beth A. Krizek .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona, Spain

    José Luis Riechmann

  2. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas CSIC-UPV, Valencia, Spain

    Cristina Ferrándiz

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Mudunkothge, J.S., Hancock, C.N., Krizek, B.A. (2023). The GUS Reporter System in Flower Development Studies. In: Riechmann, J.L., Ferrándiz, C. (eds) Flower Development . Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2686. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3299-4_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3299-4_18

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3298-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3299-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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