The number of ovule primordia in the seuss single mutant is nearly wild type while the aintegumenta mutant conditions the loss of about 50% of the ovule primordia. Together the loss of both the SEU and ANT activities in the seu ant double results in the complete loss of ovule initiation, indicating a synergistic genetic interaction and suggesting a degree of overlapping function for SEU and ANT during CMM development. SEU and ANT both encode transcriptional regulators. ANT encodes an AP2-type DNA binding EX 527 transcription factor that is expressed in all lateral organ primordia. Within the context of early gynoecial development, ANT is expressed throughout the stage 6 gynoecial mound with a higher level of expression within the adaxial core. At late stage 7 and early stage 8 expression of ANT is strong in the ovule anlagen and early ovule primordia as they arise. ANT activity during primordium development supports organ growth by maintaining the developmental period during which cell growth and cell divisions occur. ANT has also been shown to contribute to proper specification of floral organ identity and polarity specification. While direct targets of ANT regulation have not yet been published, PHB and cyclinD3 have been shown genetically to be downstream of ANT regulation further supporting a role for ANT in organ polarity specification and regulation of cellular proliferation and/or organ growth. SEU encodes a transcriptional adaptor protein that is expressed widely throughout the plant. SEU does not have a specific DNA binding activity but rather complexes with sequence specific DNA binding proteins in order to exert its effects on transcriptional regulation. The best-characterized functional role for SEU is in the repression of AGAMOUS expression during floral organ identity specification. In this context SEU interacts with pairs of MADS-domain containing DNA transcription factors and recruits the transcriptional repressor LEUNIG to the second intron of the AG gene. The binding of this complex is thought to bring about repression of AG transcription through the recruitment of histone deacetylase proteins. A variety of experimental data suggest that the disruption of CMM development observed in the seu ant mutant is not conditioned simply by a de-repression of AG, but rather that SEU and ANT function to NVP-BEZ235 maintain or specify adaxial fate in the gynoecium and that this fate specification is critical for proper CMM development. These studies demonstrated that expression levels of PHABULOSA and REVOLUTA are reduced in the adaxial core of the stage 6 gynoecium in seu ant mutant plants. PHB and REV encode transcriptional regulators of the Homeodomain Leucine Zipper Class III type that are known to play a key role in the specification of adaxial identity in lateral organs.