Tenth, we finished with Rosa hybrida which exhibits a beautiful blend of ANTHOCYANINS, the pH-sensitive pigment responsible for a wide range of colors!

Ninth, we checked out Nigella, a freaky flower with even stranger FLORAL ANATOMY where the floral organs aren’t what you think they are.

Eighth, we visited Tulip, a famous example of how VIRAL INFECTION can create striking patterns through virus-induced gene silencing.

Seventh, we looked at Petunia, a model system with an active TRANSPOSON SYSTEM that creates beautiful sectors and stripes where it jumps.

Sixth was Aquilegia, a model system for studying WHORL EXPANSION, how the number of floral organs can evolve to expand and contract.

Fifth, we went to my favourite, Arabidopsis, famous for the ABC MODEL which describes how flowers define what floral organs go where!

Fourth, we observed Hibiscus which displays a DEVELOPMENTAL BOUNDARY along the petals creating a bullseye pattern, seen in many flowers.

Third, we headed to Antirrhinum, a classical model for bilateral SYMMETRY which can be converted to radial with just one mutation.

Second, we checked out Mirabilis, which exhibit sectors of pink and yellow BETALAIN pigments.

First, we started with Mimulus to show REACTION DIFFUSION, the mechanism behind it’s spotted petals.

After 10 Fridays, 10 flowers, and 100+ drawings, the Florédex is complete! ✨

Come take a tour of the design and science behind 10 iconic flowers 🌺🧵

Friday Flower 010: Rosa hybrida ✨

Roses come in a range of colors, often blending into beautiful gradients due to their anthocyanins.

In 2004, Florigene created the world’s first “blue rose,” using delphinidin biosynthesis to achieve a hue long thought impossible.

Friday Flower 009: Nigella arvensis ✨

Nigella’s flowers form a morphologically complex display with ornate bracts and blue sepals.

The true petals have diverse patterning with intricate, nectar-bearing structures that look alien.

@igemhq.bsky.social and SB8 was unforgettable.

Would love to supervise a team on flower design for the new art/design village 🎨🌹🧬

Genetically engineered color-changing Arabidopsis 🧬📷- attempt #3

I think I finally nailed it with this one.