Nectar Spur Development in Tropaeolum majus

Authors:

Audrey Lord, Sebast an Mart nez-Salazar, Elena Kramer

Date Created:

2025-01-01

Course Title:

Professor:

Not specified

About Paper:

Nectar spurs are a key floral innovation that are associated with with a mutant called ‘Whirlybird’ that lacks a nectar spur, which the success of many Angiosperm lineages. While the regulation of appears to be due to mutation of the TmTCP1 gene. Further nectar spur development is understood in some model species, the directions will entail intercrossing the resulting F1 generation and mechanisms behind nectar spur differentiation are less understood comparing the presence in the genome of TmTCP1 within the in the Tropaeolum genus. This project explores nectar spur spurred and spurless F2 generation. Additionally, samples were determination, which involves both organ identity and meristem collectedofwild-typeandmutantapicesandflowerbudsinvarying positioning, in Tropaeolum majus. To understand nectar spur stages of development. These samples were examined under a organ identity, Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) will be used compoundmicroscopetodeterminethepointatwhichtheydiverge to silence TmPI, a homeotic gene responsible for determining from one another. Comparing the mutant and wild-type sections petal and stamen identity, and TmANS, a marker gene responsible revealed that phenotypic divergence occurs after carpel initiation for creating red pigment in the flowers. Thus far, the TmPI but before pollen is produced. Further research would compare and TmANS genes were cloned into a TRV2 plasmid, which gene expression at these stages to understand genes responsible mediates the VIGS response. Silencing these genes will provide for nectar spur initiation. Gaining a better understanding of the information about whether Tropaeolum majus nectar spurs are upstreamregulatoryprocessesinvolvedinnectarspurdevelopment primarily derived from petals or sepals. To understand meristem may be crucial in the future as climate change affects pollinator positioning of the nectar spur, a wild-type flower was crossed interactions and necessitates human intervention. Shady Business: Automatically Dimming Windows with an Adjustable Response Daniele Lucini, Raphael Kay, Joanna Aizenberg Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge | Chemistry | 2026 Indoor climate control is very energetically expensive, accounting transparent, UV absorbing state, and a coloured, visible absorbing for approximately 30% of global energy usage. Buildings with state into a film to account for the passive response of the material. staticelementscannotadapttochangingenvironmentalconditions, When illuminated with broadband light from a solar simulator, thus rendering them inefficient and expensive as they are reliant on an equilibrium between these two states is established, resulting other devices, such as lights, to maintain a comfortable internal in a loss of transmitted light. The percentage transmittance of environment. Dynamic systems can broadly be classified as visible light through the sample during irradiation was measured passiveoractive,dependingonwhethertheyrespondtoanexternal to quantify this passive response. We hypothesise that introducing stimulus or user input. The former, whilst very energy efficient, fluidic filters containing either a UV or visible light absorbing dye cannot be decoupled from the external stimuli, and hence are will have a large effect on the position of equilibrium between the not customisable. Conversely, active systems, although very two photoswitch states and hence result in a significant change in adjustable to the needs of the user, are often expensive to run. We transmissivity, even at low concentrations of dye. This would seek to create a dynamic system with a baseline passive response, demonstrate that these films have an automatic response to light that can be further adjusted actively at a low cost. Photoswitches intensity, which can be altered by reversibly injecting fluidic light aremoleculescapableofbeingintwostates,whichabsorbdifferent filters into a cavity. These systems would simultaneously have low wavelengths of light. We incorporated photoswitches with a energy costs, and a highly customisable indoor climate. Identifying Preventative Neurological Biomarkers Underlying Resilience to Childhood Maltreatment Lamisa Mahmud, Kyoko Ohashi, Martin Teicher Harvard College | Eliot House | Neuroscience | 2026 Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with heightened susceptible, resilient, or unexposed- based on their MACE susceptibility to psychopathology. However, certain maltreated (Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure) scores and individualsexhibitnosymptomsandconsistentlydisplayapositive presence of clinical symptoms. Currently, resting state parameters adaptation response to trauma, referred to as “resilience.” Prior arebeinganalyzedusingtheCONNToolboxtocomparefunctional research has evaluated structural connectivity in the brain and connectivity between all groups. Graph theory will then be used to findings revealed that specific preventative biomarkers allow them calculate global network measures (e.g., global efficiency, small- to compensate for the effects of CM. Yet, it’s unknown how worldness), followed by an analysis of variance and Tukey post- functional connectivity, which can reveal communication between hoc tests to determine which groups in the functional network brain regions, differs between the resilient and susceptible groups. significantly differ from each other. Next, AI machine learning This research aims to identify patterns of intra- and internetwork software will be utilized to identify a set of important nodes in resting-state functional connectivity that may underlie resilience. the DMN and SN. Lastly, lasso regression and random forest Such patterns can then be induced in the susceptible brain to regression will be conducted to predict group membership based prevent or mitigate psychopathology. This study hypothesizes that on connectivity pattern. resilient individuals display greater connectivity from the salience network (SN) to the default mode network (DMN) and reduced Combining these results with existing structural models could connectivity from the DMN to the SN. provide a comprehensive understanding of how the resilient brain differsfromthesusceptiblebrainandcontributetothedevelopment To examine this, 342 participants were placed into three groups- of more targeted interventions. 112 Program for Research in Science and Engineering Spirituality and Recovery Outcomes in Adolescents with Substance Use Disorder Molly Malague, Emily Hennessy Harvard College | Dunster House | Psychology | 2026 Overdose and drug poisoning is the leading cause of death in self-help meetings? Adolescents were recruited from an in- among young U.S. adults. Even non-fatal risks associated with patient treatment center for a longitudinal study. Participants adolescent substance use are severe: developmental abnormalities reported spirituality at baseline, scored 0-40 through a series of in brain structure and neurocognition, increased susceptibility to survey questions. At three-month follow-up, they reported days dependence. Recoveryoutcomesvary, andwelackcomprehensive of substance use and number of self-help meetings attended. understanding of the factors that contribute to success, particularly If our hypothesis is supported, adolescents reporting higher levels among young populations. of spirituality at baseline will report lower levels of substance use Past research has illustrated the following: (1) adults are more 3 months after leaving in-patient treatment. A significant negative successful in recovery if they are spiritual; (2) adults are more mediation effect would indicate greater spirituality is associated successful if they attend self-help meetings; (3) self-help meetings withself-helpattendance,whichisassociatedwithlowersubstance are rooted in spirituality and offer more benefit to spiritual use rates. This mediation is expected. attendants; (4) adolescents are less likely than adults to identify as spiritual. This project aims to answer a question that remains: do Answers to this question will better inform adolescent recovery supports, potentially encouraging the exploration of individual- spiritual adolescents have better substance use outcomes than non- level mechanisms of benefit. spiritual adolescents? Is this relationship mediated by attendance "Say Leaves!": Measuring Leaf Water Status via Transmitted Light and Timelapse Imaging Amelie Martin, Cade Kane, Noel Michele Holbrook Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge | Environmental Science and Engineering | 2026 The growing impact of climate change on drought severity cellular mechanical support, causing the tissues to compact and and frequency necessitates the use of effective tools to monitor thus increase chloroplast density. This reduces the transmittance plant water status, but current methods are destructive and of incident light, decreasing brightness, which can be monitored logistically challenging to scale to canopy-wide applications. by timelapse imaging. In this preliminary investigation, we aim We developed a novel technique of timelapse imaging leaves to observe a negative linear relationship between leaf brightness to provide a simple and scalable approach to measuring plant and water status before turgor loss point that is consistent upon water status. Simultaneous generation of timelapse images and rehydration, across all species sampled. This new technique leaf water potential measurements, i.e., a proxy for plant water has the potential for broad application, ranging from large scale status, on drying branches of two deciduous tree species enabled monitoring of tree health and drought stress of entire forests, by characterization of the relationship between leaf brightness and leveraging satellite imagery, to informing irrigation strategies in hydration. As leaves dry, the loss of water results in decreased an agricultural setting. MappingMolecularPathwaysofHistoneDeacetylaseinAlzheimer’sDisease

Abstract:

Nectar spurs are a key floral innovation that are associated with with a mutant called ‘Whirlybird’ that lacks a nectar spur, which the success of many Angiosperm lineages. While the regulation of appears to be due to mutation of the TmTCP1 gene. Further nectar spur development is understood in some model species, the directions will entail intercrossing the resulting F1 generation and mechanisms behind nectar spur differentiation are less understood comparing the presence in the genome of TmTCP1 within the in the Tropaeolum genus. This project explores nectar spur spurred and spurless F2 generation. Additionally, samples were determination, which involves both organ identity and meristem collectedofwild-typeandmutantapicesandflowerbudsinvarying positioning, in Tropaeolum majus. To understand nectar spur stages of development. These samples were examined under a organ identity, Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) will be used compoundmicroscopetodeterminethepointatwhichtheydiverge to silence TmPI, a homeotic gene responsible for determining from one another. Comparing the mutant and wild-type sections petal and stamen identity, and TmANS, a marker gene responsible revealed that phenotypic divergence occurs after carpel initiation for creating red pigment in the flowers. Thus far, the TmPI but before pollen is produced. Further research would compare and TmANS genes were cloned into a TRV2 plasmid, which gene expression at these stages to understand genes responsible mediates the VIGS response. Silencing these genes will provide for nectar spur initiation. Gaining a better understanding of the information about whether Tropaeolum majus nectar spurs are upstreamregulatoryprocessesinvolvedinnectarspurdevelopment primarily derived from petals or sepals. To understand meristem may be crucial in the future as climate change affects pollinator positioning of the nectar spur, a wild-type flower was crossed interactions and necessitates human intervention. Shady Business: Automatically Dimming Windows with an Adjustable Response Daniele Lucini, Raphael Kay, Joanna Aizenberg Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge | Chemistry | 2026 Indoor climate control is very energetically expensive, accounting transparent, UV absorbing state, and a coloured, visible absorbing for approximately 30% of global energy usage. Buildings with state into a film to account for the passive response of the material. staticelementscannotadapttochangingenvironmentalconditions, When illuminated with broadband light from a solar simulator, thus rendering them inefficient and expensive as they are reliant on an equilibrium between these two states is established, resulting other devices, such as lights, to maintain a comfortable internal in a loss of transmitted light. The percentage transmittance of environment. Dynamic systems can broadly be classified as visible light through the sample during irradiation was measured passiveoractive,dependingonwhethertheyrespondtoanexternal to quantify this passive response. We hypothesise that introducing stimulus or user input. The former, whilst very energy efficient, fluidic filters containing either a UV or visible light absorbing dye cannot be decoupled from the external stimuli, and hence are will have a large effect on the position of equilibrium between the not customisable. Conversely, active systems, although very two photoswitch states and hence result in a significant change in adjustable to the needs of the user, are often expensive to run. We transmissivity, even at low concentrations of dye. This would seek to create a dynamic system with a baseline passive response, demonstrate that these films have an automatic response to light that can be further adjusted actively at a low cost. Photoswitches intensity, which can be altered by reversibly injecting fluidic light aremoleculescapableofbeingintwostates,whichabsorbdifferent filters into a cavity. These systems would simultaneously have low wavelengths of light. We incorporated photoswitches with a energy costs, and a highly customisable indoor climate. Identifying Preventative Neurological Biomarkers Underlying Resilience to Childhood Maltreatment Lamisa Mahmud, Kyoko Ohashi, Martin Teicher Harvard College | Eliot House | Neuroscience | 2026 Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with heightened susceptible, resilient, or unexposed- based on their MACE susceptibility to psychopathology. However, certain maltreated (Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure) scores and individualsexhibitnosymptomsandconsistentlydisplayapositive presence of clinical symptoms. Currently, resting state parameters adaptation response to trauma, referred to as “resilience.” Prior arebeinganalyzedusingtheCONNToolboxtocomparefunctional research has evaluated structural connectivity in the brain and connectivity between all groups. Graph theory will then be used to findings revealed that specific preventative biomarkers allow them calculate global network measures (e.g., global efficiency, small- to compensate for the effects of CM. Yet, it’s unknown how worldness), followed by an analysis of variance and Tukey post- functional connectivity, which can reveal communication between hoc tests to determine which groups in the functional network brain regions, differs between the resilient and susceptible groups. significantly differ from each other. Next, AI machine learning This research aims to identify patterns of intra- and internetwork software will be utilized to identify a set of important nodes in resting-state functional connectivity that may underlie resilience. the DMN and SN. Lastly, lasso regression and random forest Such patterns can then be induced in the susceptible brain to regression will be conducted to predict group membership based prevent or mitigate psychopathology. This study hypothesizes that on connectivity pattern. resilient individuals display greater connectivity from the salience network (SN) to the default mode network (DMN) and reduced Combining these results with existing structural models could connectivity from the DMN to the SN. provide a comprehensive understanding of how the resilient brain differsfromthesusceptiblebrainandcontributetothedevelopment To examine this, 342 participants were placed into three groups- of more targeted interventions. 112 Program for Research in Science and Engineering Spirituality and Recovery Outcomes in Adolescents with Substance Use Disorder Molly Malague, Emily Hennessy Harvard College | Dunster House | Psychology | 2026 Overdose and drug poisoning is the leading cause of death in self-help meetings? Adolescents were recruited from an in- among young U.S. adults. Even non-fatal risks associated with patient treatment center for a longitudinal study. Participants adolescent substance use are severe: developmental abnormalities reported spirituality at baseline, scored 0-40 through a series of in brain structure and neurocognition, increased susceptibility to survey questions. At three-month follow-up, they reported days dependence. Recoveryoutcomesvary, andwelackcomprehensive of substance use and number of self-help meetings attended. understanding of the factors that contribute to success, particularly If our hypothesis is supported, adolescents reporting higher levels among young populations. of spirituality at baseline will report lower levels of substance use Past research has illustrated the following: (1) adults are more 3 months after leaving in-patient treatment. A significant negative successful in recovery if they are spiritual; (2) adults are more mediation effect would indicate greater spirituality is associated successful if they attend self-help meetings; (3) self-help meetings withself-helpattendance,whichisassociatedwithlowersubstance are rooted in spirituality and offer more benefit to spiritual use rates. This mediation is expected. attendants; (4) adolescents are less likely than adults to identify as spiritual. This project aims to answer a question that remains: do Answers to this question will better inform adolescent recovery supports, potentially encouraging the exploration of individual- spiritual adolescents have better substance use outcomes than non- level mechanisms of benefit. spiritual adolescents? Is this relationship mediated by attendance "Say Leaves!": Measuring Leaf Water Status via Transmitted Light and Timelapse Imaging Amelie Martin, Cade Kane, Noel Michele Holbrook Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge | Environmental Science and Engineering | 2026 The growing impact of climate change on drought severity cellular mechanical support, causing the tissues to compact and and frequency necessitates the use of effective tools to monitor thus increase chloroplast density. This reduces the transmittance plant water status, but current methods are destructive and of incident light, decreasing brightness, which can be monitored logistically challenging to scale to canopy-wide applications. by timelapse imaging. In this preliminary investigation, we aim We developed a novel technique of timelapse imaging leaves to observe a negative linear relationship between leaf brightness to provide a simple and scalable approach to measuring plant and water status before turgor loss point that is consistent upon water status. Simultaneous generation of timelapse images and rehydration, across all species sampled. This new technique leaf water potential measurements, i.e., a proxy for plant water has the potential for broad application, ranging from large scale status, on drying branches of two deciduous tree species enabled monitoring of tree health and drought stress of entire forests, by characterization of the relationship between leaf brightness and leveraging satellite imagery, to informing irrigation strategies in hydration. As leaves dry, the loss of water results in decreased an agricultural setting. MappingMolecularPathwaysofHistoneDeacetylaseinAlzheimer’sDisease

Source:

Harvard / Linda Liu, Christophe Dupré, Florian Engert / 2025

Topics:

nectar, spur, light, gene, adolescent, response, connectivity, use, water, state, brain, group

Co-authors:

@audreylord327 , @sebastanmartnezsalazar328 , @elenakramer329