Samuel Leiboff

Date & Time: October 28, 2024, at 4 pm

Location: BCH 101

Zoom: https://msu.zoom.us/j/91993518218?pwd=SzN0Umd0dElSblVSOGJEY2U0UzJJdz09
Meeting ID: 919 9351 8218
Passcode: 028299

Host: Dae Kwan Ko

About the Speaker

Institution: Oregon State University

Subject: The secret life of maize veins

Abstract: C4 grasses produce a dense parallel vein network, dynamically maintaining physiological functions as tissues grow and respond to the environment. Although maize vein subtypes are similar in structure, they provide a unique opportunity for specialization because they are generated at different times and locations within the leaf. Using tissue from 750 maize inbred lines grown across four replicated field seasons, we constructed a neural network image analysis pipeline that predicts vascular phenotypes from tens of thousands of cleared leaf scans. Leaf blades from most maize inbred lines commit 55-63% of leaf area to the production of vascular tissue, yet we detected substantial variation in overall vein density and specific subtype density across different domains of the leaf. Comparing our vascular subtype measurements with publicly available data uncovered modest correlations with agriculturally relevant adult plant phenotypes, suggesting that vascular subtypes might have specific physiological roles in the plant or respond to different developmental cues. Through GWAS we identified candidate genes and alleles correlated with each vascular trait, many have not been previously linked to vascular biology; functional analysis by reverse genetics and expression localization is ongoing. During our investigation, we observed surprisingly widespread quantitative variation in ectopic vascular bundle sheath fusion, a phenotype that defies Kranz Anatomy cell spacing rules. Our ongoing work aims to uncover the molecular ontogeny and physiological consequences of this widespread defect.