Evolution and expression of the MADS-box flowering transition genes AGAMOUS-like 24/SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE with emphasis in selected Neotropical orchids

ABSTRACTPHOSPHORYLETHANOLAMINE CYTIDYLYLTRANSFERASE 1 (PECT1) regulates phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis and controls the phosphatidylethanolamine:phosphatidylcholine ratio in Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous studies have suggested that PECT1 regulates flowering time by modulating the interaction between phosphatidylcholine and FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), a florigen, in the shoot apical meristem (SAM). Here, we show that knockdown of PECT1 by artificial microRNA in the SAM (pFD::amiR-PECT1) accelerated flowering under inductive and even non-inductive conditions, in which FT transcription is almost absent, and in ft-10 twin sister of ft-1 double mutants under both conditions. Transcriptome analyses suggested that PECT1 affects flowering by regulating SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) and GIBBERELLIN 20 OXIDASE 2 (GA20ox2). SVP misexpression in the SAM suppressed the early flowering of pFD::amiR-PECT1 plants. pFD::amiR-PECT1 plants showed increased gibberellin (GA) levels in the SAM, concomitant with the reduction of REPRESSOR OF GA1-3 levels. Consistent with this, GA treatment had little effect on flowering time of pFD::amiR-PECT1 plants and the GA antagonist paclobutrazol strongly affected flowering in these plants. Together, these results suggest that PECT1 also regulates flowering time through a florigen-independent pathway, modulating SVP expression and thus regulating GA production.

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Litchi Flowering is Regulated by Expression of Short Vegetative Phase Genes

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs04316-17 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 143 (2) ◽

pp. 101-109

Author(s):

Jiaqi Hu ◽

Hye-Ji Kim ◽

Houbin Chen ◽

Biyan Zhou

Keyword(s):

Low Temperature ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Bioinformatic Analysis ◽

Molecular Characteristics ◽

Vegetative Phase ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Relative Expression ◽

Short Vegetative Phase ◽

Relative Expression Level

Short vegetative phase (SVP), a MADS-domain transcription factor, was shown to act as a repressor of flowering in arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Although the role of SVPs in flowering is well characterized in the model plant arabidopsis, little is known in evergreen woody litchi (Litchi chinensis). In this study, three litchi SVP homologs (LcSVP1, LcSVP2, and LcSVP3) were cloned, and the bioinformatic analysis of the LcSVPs was carried out to identify their molecular characteristics. Their expression patterns in the apical meristem (AM) during the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase were studied under natural flowering inductive conditions. Also, brassinosteroid (BR) treatment under low temperature conditions was performed to elucidate the role of LcSVPs in the BR-regulated flowering. The results showed that LcSVPs belonged to the MADS superfamily. LcSVP relative expression levels in AMs of the early- and late-flowering cultivars showed decreasing trends with the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. Under low temperature condition, relative expression levels of LcSVP1, LcSVP2, and LcSVP3 in AMs or panicle primordia showed decreasing trends, whereas those in the AMs of the BR-treated trees remained at relatively high levels. Relative expression analysis of the litchi homolog, flowering locus t 1 (LcFT1), showed that the BR-treated leaves had lower relative expression level than nontreated control leaves. The findings suggest that LcSVPs act as repressors involved in flowering in natural conditions and the BR-regulated flowering.

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