Sunflower nitrogen-stress response and gene expression
The hybrid sunflower Helianthus anomalus is endemic to desert sand dunes, which have lower nutrient availability than the habitats of its parental species. Brouillette and Donovan use a cDNA microarray to compare the gene expression of H. anomalus to that of its parents under contrasting nutrient treatments, and identify five candidate genes for its ecological speciation. One of the genes may play a role in nutrient use by affecting leaf lifespan.
