Letter abstract
Nature Genetics 40, 1489 - 1492 (2008)
Published online: 9 November 2008 | doi:10.1038/ng.253
Flowering-time genes modulate meristem determinacy and growth form in Arabidopsis thaliana
Siegbert Melzer1, Frederic Lens2,3, Jerôme Gennen1, Steffen Vanneste1, Antje Rohde1 & Tom Beeckman1
Plants have evolved annual and perennial life forms as alternative strategies to adapt reproduction and survival to environmental constraints. In isolated situations, such as islands, woody perennials have evolved repeatedly from annual ancestors1. Although the molecular basis of the rapid evolution of insular woodiness is unknown, the molecular difference between perennials and annuals might be rather small, and a change between these life strategies might not require major genetic innovations2, 3. Developmental regulators can strongly affect evolutionary variation4 and genes involved in meristem transitions are good candidates for a switch in growth habit. We found that the MADS box proteins SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) and FRUITFULL (FUL) not only control flowering time, but also affect determinacy of all meristems. In addition, downregulation of both proteins established phenotypes common to the lifestyle of perennial plants, suggesting their involvement in the prevention of secondary growth and longevity in annual life forms.
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology and Department of Molecular Genetics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Plant Systematics, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
- National Herbarium of the Netherlands, Leiden University Branch, P.O. Box 9514, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
Correspondence to: Siegbert Melzer1 e-mail: siegbert.melzer@psb.ugent.be
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
LEAFY blooms in aspenNature News and Views (12 Oct 1995)
Floral patterning A LEAFY link from outer spaceNature News and Views (08 Oct 1998)
RESEARCH
AGO1 defines a novel locus of Arabidopsis controlling leaf developmentThe EMBO Journal Article (01 Jan 1998)
Integration of floral inductive signals in ArabidopsisNature Letters to Editor (20 Apr 2000)
See all 65 matches for Research
