The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $687,039 Project Grant under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to the University of Montana to investigate the genomic and functional basis of rapid, touch-sensitive stigma movement in plants, a key reproductive trait related to pollination.
The project will use comparative transcriptomics, genetic mapping, and cellular genomic methods to trace the evolution of stigma gene networks, refine the genomic causes of repeated loss of this trait, and explore the underlying molecular, cellular, and signaling components. This research aims to advance the fundamental understanding of plant reproductive sensing, signaling, morphology, and movement, as well as illuminate the evolutionary and genomic processes that generate biological complexity and novelty. The award period runs from September 2024 through August 2028.
Generated 3/18/25, 3:15 AM