The family of genes Petalosa that makes beautiful flowers: the discovery of the State university of Milan

They called it "Petalosa". A tribute to the adjective invented from the small pupil of the po river and that in the third grade, he convinced the Bran and now entering the scientific language. A family of genes that multiplies the petals in the flowers, making them the most beautiful, the discovery by researchers from the state University of Milan, Cnr, and of the Parco tecnologico padano of Lodi, who published a study in the Journal of experimental botany. "We used to think that it is normal for roses, carnations, and some petunias have many petals, explains the university of milan - but a search reveals that their "petalosità" is due to genetic mutations and natural very similar to each other".

The research has been carried out not only in laboratory, but also thanks to the study of the online databases that provide the entire genomic sequence of the DNA of different plants. The network is available, for example, the genetic information of the variety "Francis" by the cloves, created by the breeder of the Italian Giacomo Nobbio. Scholars have shown how a few mutations in a key gene for the development of the flower leads to a superabundance of petals, in relation to the five considered normal for a carnation. A gene is active, also found in other species. "Information of great interest for the horticulture - explain the university - which counts on a turnover in the multi-billion dollar worldwide and is always looking for new products to enter the market of the flowers double, with increased number of petals, are in fact often preferred by consumers, and increase the commercial value of many varieties"

In previous studies the authors had already identified the mutation responsible for this character in the peach and some varieties of roses. "It was amazing to analyze one of the genes and find via mutations is similar in rosa rugosa, in the carnations, and in the popular petunias double," explains Stefano Gattolin, researcher of the Cnr. And then here is the family of genes, called on the scientific journal as a "Petalosa". "We came up with the story of Matthew," says Laura Rossini, coordinator of the research and professor of agricultural Genetics of the Highway. Scholars have thought of the adjective, petaloso, that from a notebook to a child in the elementary school is finished on vocabulary and common lexicon. "A beautiful Italian story, as this discovery. And we liked to remember it that way". © Reproduction reserved