Flowering is an essential part of a plant's life cycle, and getting the timing and placement of flowering right can mean the difference between making lots of seeds for the next generation (success!) and none at all (EPIC fail). In this lesson, students will explore the genes that help Arabidopsis plants decide that it's time to make flowers. Once a plant makes the decision to flower, other genes must signal the right parts of the plants to develop into flowers. When this signaling is interrupted, very strange things can happen! In this lesson module, students will use current bioinformatics tools to build their understanding of how plants use their genes to respond to their environment.
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...
Flowering Lesson All Slides
1. H O W D O E S A P L A N T K N O W WH E N T O F L O WE R ?
P A R T I
Stopping to smell the
flowers…
2. Warm-Up
Take a moment to consider the following questions:
1. When have you ever given or received flowers?
2. What is your favorite flower, and why?
3. Your thoughts on flowers
When have you given or
received flowers? Favorite type of flower?
4. Jean Giraudoux* on Flowers
“The flower is the poetry of reproduction.
It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.”
*Jean
Giraudoux
was a French
poet in the
early 20th
century
Discuss the above quote with a partner. How does this quote
connect with what we have already discussed about flowers?
5. What are flowers for?
We often think of flowers as a gift for someone
special to us.
But plants make flowers for a really important reason
that has nothing to do with people:
Flowers are the way that plants reproduce sexually.
7. Anatomy of a Flower
This flower has male and female parts. Find and circle the words
that suggest which part is male and which is female.
8. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
9. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
10. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
11. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
12. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
13. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
14. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
15. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
16. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
17. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
18. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
19. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
20. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
21. Why do we care about flowers?
Fruits are the products of flowers.
**Wheat, rice, corn, beans, and many other staple
foods also come from flowering plants!**
26. Problem:
Global climate change affects when and how plants
flower, which will also affect when and how they
make fruit.
In order to address these issues, we will
need to study plants and how they
grow, make flowers, and set fruit.
27. To Understand Flowers, We need to
Observe Plants!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spkA1f5FmxY
Watch this video
showing
Arabidopsis growth
and make
observations about
the plant on the
left, the plant on
the right, and both
plants.
29. What is the difference between these two
plants?
Hypotheses about why these plants grow so
differently:
30. What is the difference between these two
plants?
Hypotheses about why these plants grow so
differently:
These two plants are exactly the same with one
exception. The plant on the right has a mutation
in one of its genes.
31. The plant on the right has a mutation in its
DNA that causes it to grow differently
32. H O W D O E S A P L A N T K N O W WH E N T O F L O WE R ?
P A R T I I
Stopping to smell the
flowers…
35. Scientists have drills, too.
In biology, we use model organisms sort of like drills.
Instead of using a drill to break down one skill for the
big game, we use model organisms to break down
one part of the big question:
How do living things work?
36. What was that plant from yesterday?
Had you seen the type of plant that was growing in
the video from yesterday?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foHiKrlY9Qc
37. What was that plant from yesterday?
Had you seen the type of plant that was growing in
the video from yesterday?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foHiKrlY9Qc
Arabidopsis is a drill, or
model organism, for
understanding how
[plant] genomes work.
38. Arabidopsis (Thale Cress)
• Small, fast-growing relative of
broccoli, cauliflower, and
mustard
• First plant genome sequenced
• Small genome: only 5 pairs of
chromosomes (people have 23
pairs)
• Scientists use Arabidopsis to try
to understand the biology of
other plants, and even humans.
39. Arabidopsis (Thale Cress)
• Small, fast-growing relative of
broccoli, cauliflower, and
mustard
• First plant genome sequenced
• Small genome: only 5 pairs of
chromosomes (people have 23
pairs)
• Scientists use Arabidopsis to try
to understand the biology of
other plants, and even humans.
Many experiments have
already been done on
Arabidopsis!
40. The plant on the right has a mutation in its
DNA that causes it to grow differently
41. The plant on the right has a mutation in its
DNA that causes it to grow differently
42. If many scientists have been
working to understand Arabidopsis
for a long time…
How can you find out what we
have already discovered about
Arabidopsis?
44. What happens when you put “flower” into
Google
What categories of information do I want?
How many results are there?
Question: What would
you click here if you
only wanted pictures of
flowers?
45. What happens when you put “flower” into
Araport?
Question: What would
you click here if you
only wanted genes that
are involved in
flowering?
46. Comparing Google and ThaleMine
If you click on any one of these
categories, you will only get results
of the type that you requested.
Example: if you click on “Images”
in Google, you will only get picture
results. If you click on “Gene” in
ThaleMine, you will only get gene
results.
How many gene hits did we get by
putting in the search term “flower?”
47. Finding the Mutated Gene in Araport
We can search for the gene, constans, that was
mutated in the plant that we saw above, in order to
see what kind of information we can find about it.
1. Enter constans into Araport.
2. Once you get the results, filter them so you only
get gene hits.
48. Finding the Mutated Gene in Araport
We can search for the gene, constans, that was
mutated in the plant that we saw above, in order to
see what kind of information we can find about it.
1. Enter constans into Araport.
2. Once you get the results, filter them so you only
get gene hits.
49. Finding the Mutated Gene in Araport
We can search for the gene, constans, that was
mutated in the plant that we saw above, in order to
see what kind of information we can find about it.
1. Enter constans into Araport.
2. Once you get the results, filter them so you only
get gene hits.
50. Finding the Mutated Gene in Araport
We can search for the gene, constans, that was
mutated in the plant that we saw above, in order to
see what kind of information we can find about it.
1. Enter constans into Araport.
2. Once you get the results, filter them so you only
get gene hits.
51. Finding the Mutated Gene in Araport
We can search for the gene, constans, that was
mutated in the plant that we saw above, in order to
see what kind of information we can find about it.
1. Enter constans into Araport.
2. Once you get the results, filter them so you only
get gene hits.
52. Finding the Mutated Gene in Araport
We can search for the gene, constans, that was
mutated in the plant that we saw above, in order to
see what kind of information we can find about it.
1. Enter constans into Araport.
2. Once you get the results, filter them so you only
get gene hits.
53. constans Gene page
Once you click on the constans gene page, there is
A LOT of information! Let’s focus on three types of
information about constans:
Genomics, Function, and Expression
54.
55. Genomics: Where is this gene “written?”
Genomics shows where in the genome the constans
gene is. You can scroll around to find genes that are
nearby.
56. Genomics: Where is this gene “written?”
Genomics shows where in the genome the constans
gene is. You can scroll around to find genes that are
nearby.
You can also click on the gene to see its DNA code or sequence.
57. Genomics: Where is this gene “written?”
Genomics shows where in the genome the constans
gene is. You can scroll around to find genes that are
nearby.
You can also click on the gene to see its DNA code or sequence.
58. Function: What does this gene do?
In this section, you can look at what we think this
gene actually does in the plant through brief
descriptions called Gene Ontology or GO terms.
59. Function: What does this gene do?
Can you find any GO terms on the
list that match up with what you
saw in the video?
60. Expression: Where does this gene work?
This map shows where
(and when!) the
constans gene is
being expressed.
This information is
gathered by
measuring the mRNA
transcripts of the
constans gene in all
of the plant parts
shown in the image.
61. What is gene expression?
What does it mean to express yourself?
A gene is encoded in DNA in the nucleus of the cell.
In order for DNA’s message to be “heard” and
executed in the cell, mRNA copies of the gene need
to be made. How many mRNA copies of a gene that
are made determines the level of gene expression.
62. Gene Expression Analogy
Every gene must be
expressed in the right
place and at the right
time in order for an
organism to to function
well.
Similarly, each member
of the marching band
needs to be in the right
place, at the right time,
and playing the right
note for us to see the T
Rex and hear the music.
63. It matters WHEN, WHERE, and HOW
MUCH genes are expressed.
Would you tell someone goodnight at 9 a.m.? Would
you say “congratulations” to a friend who just lost a
basketball game?
It is not good for all cells in an organism to express all
their genes at one time. Each type of cell has a
different expression profile that describes WHEN,
WHERE, and HOW MUCH a gene is expressed.
64. What happens if genes are expressed in the
wrong place, or at the wrong time?
65. What happens if genes are expressed in the
wrong place, or at the wrong time?
When gene expression goes
wrong, it’s kind of like saying the
wrong thing at the wrong time.
Awkward, right?
66. What happens if genes are expressed in the
wrong place, or at the wrong time?
When gene expression goes
wrong, it’s kind of like saying the
wrong thing at the wrong time.
Awkward, right?
*Sigh* I know what you mean, dude.
67. What happens if genes are expressed in the
wrong place, or at the wrong time?
When gene expression goes
wrong, it’s kind of like saying the
wrong thing at the wrong time.
Awkward, right?
*Sigh* I know what you mean, dude.
This fly has legs where its antennae should
be because a gene that normally tells
tissue to become legs is accidentally
expressed where the antennae should be.
68. Expression: Where and when does this gene
work?
This is a developmental
map of Arabidopsis. You
can see some familiar
structures, like leaves
and stems.
There are also some new
structures, like siliques,
which are like seed
pods, and the shoot
apex, which is where the
plant grows most
actively.
RED = lots of expression
69. H O W D O E S A P L A N T K N O W WH E N T O F L O WE R ?
P A R T I I I
Stopping to smell the
flowers…
70. Warm Up
1. When do plants normally flower?
1. What are some factors that you think plants use to
decide that it is time to flower?
74. What if we only want to explore
FLOWERING in Arabidopsis?
There is a site for that!!
http://www.phytosystems.ulg.ac.be/florid/
75. FLOR-ID: A way to understand genes that
help Arabidopsis to flower
76. FLOR-ID: A way to understand genes that
help Arabidopsis to flower
This is our
constans
gene
77. FLOR-ID: A way to understand genes that
help Arabidopsis to flower
This is our
constans
gene!
This is an environmental factor that affects how the constans gene works
78. Play with FLOR-ID
1. Go to FLOR-ID at
http://www.phytosystems.ulg.ac.be/florid/
2. Using the right-hand side bar, take 5 minutes to
play with FLOR-ID.
Use the box on your handout to
record thoughts, notes,
observations, drawings, and/or
questions!
79. Break down the Legend
1. Go to the overview pathway from the homepage.
2. Look at the legend at the bottom of the page.
3. What do the following legend items mean?
1. Genes/proteins
2. Integrator genes
3. Positive regulations
4. Negative regulations
4. Work with your group to make sense of the legend
and then we will discuss its meaning as a whole
class.
80. Breaking Down the Legend
Legend Item What this Legend Item Means
Genes/Proteins
Symbol:
Integrator genes
Symbol:
Positive regulations
Symbol:
Negative
regulations
Symbol:
82. What do the icons mean?
1. Work with your group using the tools at your
disposal to decide what each of these flowering
factor is, and what it does to the plant.
2. Use the icon names and images to start. You may
use other resources to help you define these
terms.
*It is okay to not know what something is!*
3. Try to connect your ideas about what each
flowering factor is to what you already know
about plants and living things. Does this factor
make sense? Or does it surprise you?
83. Exit Slip: Proposal for further research
We will be breaking up into groups to further explore
these flowering factors.
With your group:
1. Write a list of the top three factors you would like
to study.
2. Write a proposal as to why you would like to study
this flowering factor. Your proposal should include:
1. At least one reason why this flowering factor is important.
2. At least one way that you could test the effect of this
flowering factor on plant growth.
88. THE SOCIETY FOR FLOWERING PLANTS
All groups will be presenting their work at the annual
meeting of the Society for Flowering Plants (SFP).
• Presentations will be judged by your peers as well as
the leadership committee for the Society of
Flowering Plants
• Prizes will be given for presentations based on their
quality, clarity, and originality!
• See the rubric for the judging criteria.
Good luck!
Hinweis der Redaktion
At this point, the teacher could opt to set up a flower dissection lab or demonstrate the parts of a flower with an actual flower with students in addition to showing this slide.
At this point, the teacher could opt to set up a flower dissection lab or demonstrate the parts of a flower with an actual flower with students in addition to showing this slide.
Time lapse of fruit development?
One nice touch for this slide would be to use a picture of your own students doing a drill! (:
Anticipate that students will say these players are doing a drill (This image shows players doing a drill exercise to build speed and agility for a game. In a way, they are modeling and building the types of skills that they will need in order to be successful for a game by taking one or a few pieces of their game (agility, speed) and working to improve them. This is similar to what scientists do when we study a model organism: we use that organism to look at some aspects of biology that we are trying to understand and try and take the things that we learn to apply to our bigger conceptual understanding or more important systems (like using a mouse to study a human disease, or Arabidopsis to study the genetics of food crops).
Chart the students’ answers to the drill question. Some questions to push their thinking:
How long does it take to do a drill?
Why do you do drills? What is the goal?
What is this particular drill and why are these students doing it?
What are some other drills?
Can you only do one type of drill and expect to play very well?
Chart the students’ answers to the drill question. Some questions to push their thinking:
How long does it take to do a drill?
Why do you do drills? What is the goal?
What is this particular drill and why are these students doing it?
What are some other drills?
Can you only do one type of drill and expect to play very well?
Zoom out in JBrowse? Using minus box to zoom out
Allow students several minutes to respond to the warm-up prompt. Then collect student responses on the board and discuss them. Anticipate that students will say that plants flower in the spring and summer. Some students may struggle with the second question about factors that cause flowering, but if this is the case you may prompt students to think about what makes spring and summer different than fall and winter, which may lead students to answers like light, temperature, and moisture.
Collect students’ ideas about factors that help a plant decide to flower on this slide. This will be useful later when looking at the FLOR-ID images, since they will probably come up with light and temperature as factors, which also appear as “Photoperiod” and “Ambient Temperature” on the Overview pathway.
This table may be edited by right-clicking on the object. This will open a word file where you can type the names of the group members into the appropriate box based on the assignments that you have made.
