Multiple interactions amongst floral homeotic MADS box proteins.

Most known floral homeotic genes belong to the MADS box family and their products act in combination to specify floral organ identity by an unknown mechanism. We have used a yeast two-hybrid system to investigate the network of interactions between the Antirrhinum organ identity gene products. Selective heterodimerization is observed between MADS box factors. Exclusive interactions are detected between two factors, DEFICIENS (DEF) and GLOBOSA (GLO), previously known to heterodimerize and control development of petals and stamens. In contrast, a third factor, PLENA (PLE), which is required for reproductive organ development, can interact with the products of MADS box genes expressed at early, intermediate and late stages. We also demonstrate that heterodimerization of DEF and GLO requires the K box, a domain not found in non-plant MADS box factors, indicating that the plant MADS box factors may have different criteria for interaction. The association of PLENA and the temporally intermediate MADS box factors suggests that part of their function in mediating between the meristem and organ identity genes is accomplished through direct interaction. These data reveal an unexpectedly complex network of interactions between the factors controlling flower development and have implications for the determination of organ identity.     

林木花发育的基因调控

花发育是林木生长发育过程中的重要阶段。林木的花发育分为开花诱导、花的发端和花器官发育3个阶段, 是由多种基因参与的十分复杂的调控过程。本文对林木在花发育过程中的基因调控进行了综述, 并对林木花发育领域的研究前景进行了展望。     

林木花发育的基因调控

花发育是林木生长发育过程中的重要阶段。林木的花发育分为开花诱导、花的发端和花器官发育3个阶段,是由多种基因参与的十分复杂的调控过程。本文对林木在花发育过程中的基因调控进行了综述,并对林木花发育领域的研究前景进行了展望。     

Dual role for fimbriata in regulating floral homeotic genes and cell division in Antirrhinum.

The fimbriata (fim) gene of Antirrhinum affects both the identity and arrangement of organs within the flower, and encodes a protein with an F-box motif. We show that FIM associates with a family of proteins, termed FAPs (FIM-associated proteins), that are closely related to human and yeast Skp1 proteins. These proteins form complexes with F-box-containing partners to promote protein degradation and cell cycle progression. The fap genes are expressed in inflorescence and floral meristems in a pattern that incorporates the domain of fim expression, supporting an in vivo role for a FIM-FAP complex. Analysis of a series of novel fim alleles shows that fim plays a key role in the activation of organ identity genes. In addition, fim acts in the regions between floral organs to specify the correct positioning and maintenance of morphological boundaries. Taking these results together, we propose that FIM-FAP complexes affect both gene expression and cell division, perhaps by promoting selective degradation of regulatory proteins. This may provide a mechanism by which morphological boundaries can be aligned with domains of gene expression during floral development.     

From floral induction to floral shape

The initial emphasis in molecular-genetic studies of flower development was on homeotic genes that control organ identity, which is rather invariant between different species. Studies in flower development during the past three years have dealt with more diverse aspects of flower development, including floral induction and floral shape. Genes identified in the respective pathways might hold clues to the diversity of modern angiosperms.     

AP2功能基因在植物花发育中的重要作用

AP2基因作为调控植物花发育的功能基因,参与花分生特性建立、花器官的特性特化以及形成调控。所编码的AP2/EREBP转录因子的主要特征是都至少含有一个由60到70个左右的氨基酸组成高度保守的DNA结合区,称作AP2结合域。按其所含的AP2结构域的数目分为3个亚族,即AP2亚家族、EREBP亚家族和RAV亚家族,每个亚家族都有各自的作用。AP2基因不但自身调控着花、胚珠的发育,而且与其他因子相互协作,参与到复杂的花发育调控网络。将对AP2基因的特征和分类及其在花发育中的作用进行概述。     

Genome-wide analysis of gene expression during early Arabidopsis flower development

Detailed information about stage-specific changes in gene expression is crucial for the understanding of the gene regulatory networks underlying development. Here, we describe the global gene expression dynamics during early flower development, a key process in the life cycle of a plant, during which floral patterning and the specification of floral organs is established. We used a novel floral induction system in Arabidopsis, which allows the isolation of a large number of synchronized floral buds, in conjunction with whole-genome microarray analysis to identify genes with differential expression at distinct stages of flower development. We found that the onset of flower formation is characterized by a massive downregulation of genes in incipient floral primordia, which is followed by a predominance of gene activation during the differentiation of floral organs. Among the genes we identified as differentially expressed in the experiment, we detected a significant enrichment of closely related members of gene families. The expression profiles of these related genes were often highly correlated, indicating similar temporal expression patterns. Moreover, we found that the majority of these genes is specifically up-regulated during certain developmental stages. Because co-expressed members of gene families in Arabidopsis frequently act in a redundant manner, these results suggest a high degree of functional redundancy during early flower development, but also that its extent may vary in a stage-specific manner.     

Duplicated C-class MADS-box genes reveal distinct roles in gynostemium development in Cymbidium ensifolium (Orchidaceae)

The orchid floral organs represent novel and effective structures for attracting pollination vectors. In addition, to avoid inbreeding, the androecium and gynoecium are united in a single structure termed the gynostemium. Identification of C-class MADS-box genes regulating reproductive organ development could help determine the level of homology with the current ABC model of floral organ identity in orchids. In this study, we isolated and characterized two C-class AGAMOUS-like genes, denoted CeMADS1 and CeMADS2, from Cymbidium ensifolium. These two genes showed distinct spatial and temporal expression profiles, which suggests their functional diversification during gynostemium development. Furthermore, the expression of CeMADS1 but not CeMADS2 was eliminated in the multitepal mutant whose gynostemium is replaced by a newly emerged flower, and this ecotopic flower continues to produce sepals and petals centripetally. Protein interaction relationships among CeMADS1, CeMADS2 and E-class PeMADS8 proteins were assessed by yeast two-hybrid analysis. Both CeMADS1 and CeMADS2 formed homodimers and heterodimers with each other and the E-class PeMADS protein. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing CeMADS1 or CeMADS2 showed limited growth of primary inflorescence. Thus, CeMADS1 may have a pivotal C function in reproductive organ development in C. ensifolium.     

The Exogenous Hormornal Control of the Development of Regenerated Flower Buds in Hyacinthus orientalis

The critical role of exogenous hormone on inducing the initiation of different floral organs in the regenerated flower bud and controlling their numbers was further evidenced. The initiation of the flower buds was first induced from the perianth explants of Hyacinthus orientalis L. cv. White pearl by a combination of 2 mg/L 6-BA and 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D, and then a continuous initiation of over 100 tepals (a flower bud of H. orientalis in situ has only 6 tepals) was successfully controlled by maintenance of such a hormone concentration. However, a change of hormonal concentration (2 mg/L 6-BA and 0-0.000 1 mg/L 2,4-D) caused cessation of continuous initiation of the tepals but gave rise to induction of stamen initiation. Keeping the changed hormone concentrations could successfully control the continuous initiation of over 20 stamens (a flower bud of H. orientalis in situ has only 6 stamens). The experiment showed that the number of identical floral organs in the regenerated flower buds can be controlled by certain defined concentrations of the exogenous hormones, and the amount of the induced identical floral organs has no effect on the differentiation sequence of the different floral organs in the regenerated flower bud. Based on a systematic research on controlling the differentiation of the floral organs from both the perianth explants and the regenerated flower buds by the exogenous hormones in H. orientalis over the past decade, the authors put forward here a new idea on the role of phytohormone in controlling the automatic and sequential differentiation of the different floral organs in flower development. The main points are as follows: 1. the development of flower bud in plant is a process in which all of the floral organs are automatically and sequentially differentiated from the flower meristem. 2. Experiments in vitro showed that the effect of exogenous hormones in controlling the initiation of different floral organs is strictly concentration dependent, i.e., one kind of the floral organ can continuously and repeatedly initiate from the flower meristem as long as it is maintained in that specific concentration of the exogenous hormone which is suitable for the initiation of that particular kind of floral organ. 3. It shows that the flower buds in situ must be automatically able to adjust the endogenous hormonal concentrations just after the completion of the differentiation of one whorl of floral organ to suit the differentiation of the next whorl. Thus, the phytohormone in different concentrations takes after many change-over switches of the organ differentiation and plays a connective and regulatory role between the differentiation of every two whorls of the floral organ. In other words, these change-over switches play the roles of inhibiting the expression of the genes which control the initiation of the floral organs in the first whorl, meanwhile, activating the expression of the genes which control the initiation of the floral organs in the second whorl during the successive initiation of the different floral organs from the flower bud. It results in the automatic and sequential initiation of the various floral organs from the floral meristem. 