No abstract

Plant development is generally controlled by a balance between hormonal influences and the action of transcription factors. Knowing the expression pattern of key genes is essential for the understanding of plant development. The TCP gene family members are tought to be involved in key events of plant development. There are reports in the literature that variations in the expression patterns of TCP genes contributed to the emergence of evolutionary novelties such as zigomorphic flowers and tendrils. The genome of Passiflora organensis is completely sequenced and allows the identification and analysis of genes potentially involved in the control of the development of plants from the genus Passiflora.

In model plants, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, changes in floral morphology, as well as in plant architecture, depend on the behavior of the stem meristem (vegetative, inflorescence and floral), whose control is directly related to the expression of the WUSCHEL (WUS) gene belonging to the WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene group. The sequencing of Passiflora organensis genome will allow the identification and analysis of key genes expression in the development of this genus plants. The present work intends to identify and characterize the members of the WOX gene family in Passiflora, with a focus on investigating the role of the WUS gene in P. organensis by analyzing the gene expression by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization.