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Zhao L, Liu Y, Zhu Y, Chen S, Du Y, Deng L, Liu L, Li X, Chen W, Xu Z, Xiong Y, Ming Y, Fang S, Chen L, Wang H, Yu D. Transcription factor OsWRKY11 induces rice heading at low concentrations but inhibits rice heading at high concentrations. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 66:1385-1407. [PMID: 38818952 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The heading date of rice is a crucial agronomic characteristic that influences its adaptability to different regions and its productivity potential. Despite the involvement of WRKY transcription factors in various biological processes related to development, the precise mechanisms through which these transcription factors regulate the heading date in rice have not been well elucidated. The present study identified OsWRKY11 as a WRKY transcription factor which exhibits a pivotal function in the regulation of the heading date in rice through a comprehensive screening of a clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) ‒ CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 mutant library that specifically targets the WRKY genes in rice. The heading date of oswrky11 mutant plants and OsWRKY11-overexpressing plants was delayed compared with that of the wild-type plants under short-day and long-day conditions. Mechanistic investigation revealed that OsWRKY11 exerts dual effects on transcriptional promotion and suppression through direct and indirect DNA binding, respectively. Under normal conditions, OsWRKY11 facilitates flowering by directly inducing the expression of OsMADS14 and OsMADS15. The presence of elevated levels of OsWRKY11 protein promote formation of a ternary protein complex involving OsWRKY11, Heading date 1 (Hd1), and Days to heading date 8 (DTH8), and this complex then suppresses the expression of Ehd1, which leads to a delay in the heading date. Subsequent investigation revealed that a mild drought condition resulted in a modest increase in OsWRKY11 expression, promoting heading. Conversely, under severe drought conditions, a significant upregulation of OsWRKY11 led to the suppression of Ehd1 expression, ultimately causing a delay in heading date. Our findings uncover a previously unacknowledged mechanism through which the transcription factor OsWRKY11 exerts a dual impact on the heading date by directly and indirectly binding to the promoters of target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirong Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Yunwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Shidie Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- Southwest United Graduate School, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650092, China
| | - Yang Du
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Luyao Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Lei Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Xia Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- Southwest United Graduate School, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650092, China
| | - Wanqin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Zhiyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Yangyang Xiong
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - You Ming
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Siyu Fang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Ligang Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
| | - Houping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Diqiu Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
- Southwest United Graduate School, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650092, China
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Li R, Wang Y, Li D, Guo Y, Zhou Z, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Würschum T, Liu W. Meta-Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis and Candidate Gene Mining for Drought Tolerance-Associated Traits in Maize ( Zea mays L.). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4295. [PMID: 38673880 PMCID: PMC11049847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses with a severe negative impact on maize production globally. Understanding the genetic architecture of drought tolerance in maize is a crucial step towards the breeding of drought-tolerant varieties and a targeted exploitation of genetic resources. In this study, 511 quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to grain yield components, flowering time, and plant morphology under drought conditions, as well as drought tolerance index were collected from 27 published studies and then projected on the IBM2 2008 Neighbors reference map for meta-analysis. In total, 83 meta-QTL (MQTL) associated with drought tolerance in maize were identified, of which 20 were determined as core MQTL. The average confidence interval of MQTL was strongly reduced compared to that of the previously published QTL. Nearly half of the MQTL were confirmed by co-localized marker-trait associations from genome-wide association studies. Based on the alignment of rice proteins related to drought tolerance, 63 orthologous genes were identified near the maize MQTL. Furthermore, 583 candidate genes were identified within the 20 core MQTL regions and maize-rice homologous genes. Based on KEGG analysis of candidate genes, plant hormone signaling pathways were found to be significantly enriched. The signaling pathways can have direct or indirect effects on drought tolerance and also interact with other pathways. In conclusion, this study provides novel insights into the genetic and molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in maize towards a more targeted improvement of this important trait in breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronglan Li
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Yueli Wang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dongdong Li
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuhang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhipeng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Tobias Würschum
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Wenxin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, The Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Beijing Municipality, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya 572025, China
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Rong C, Zhang R, Liu Y, Chang Z, Liu Z, Ding Y, Ding C. Purine permease (PUP) family gene PUP11 positively regulates the rice seed setting rate by influencing seed development. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:112. [PMID: 38568250 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-024-03193-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Purine permease PUP11 is essential for rice seed development, regulates the seed setting rate, and influences the cytokinin content, sugar transport, and starch biosynthesis during grain development. The distribution of cytokinins in plant tissues determines plant growth and development and is regulated by several cytokinin transporters, including purine permease (PUP). Thirteen PUP genes have been identified within the rice genome; however, the functions of most of these genes remain poorly understood. We found that pup11 mutants showed extremely low seed setting rates and a unique filled seed distribution. Moreover, seed formation arrest in these mutants was associated with the disappearance of accumulated starch 10 days after flowering. PUP11 has two major transcripts with different expression patterns and subcellular locations, and further studies revealed that they have redundant positive roles in regulating the seed setting rate. We also found that type-A Response Regulator (RR) genes were upregulated in the developing grains of the pup11 mutant compared with those in the wild type. The results also showed that PUP11 altered the expression of several sucrose transporters and significantly upregulated certain starch biosynthesis genes. In summary, our results indicate that PUP11 influences the rice seed setting rate by regulating sucrose transport and starch accumulation during grain filling. This research provides new insights into the relationship between cytokinins and seed development, which may help improve cereal yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Rong
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Renren Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuexin Liu
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongyuan Chang
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanfeng Ding
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production Co-Sponsored By Province and Ministry, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chengqiang Ding
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production Co-Sponsored By Province and Ministry, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
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Lu K, Guo Z, Di S, Lu Y, Muhammad IAR, Rong C, Ding Y, Li W, Ding C. OsMFT1 Inhibits Seed Germination by Modulating Abscisic Acid Signaling and Gibberellin Biosynthesis under Salt Stress in Rice. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 64:674-685. [PMID: 37022148 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Seed dormancy and germination are regulated by endogenous gene expression as well as hormonal and environmental conditions, such as salinity, which greatly inhibits seed germination. MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 (MFT), which encodes a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein, is a key regulator of seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. There are two orthologous genes of AtMFT in rice (Oryza sativa), namely, OsMFT1 and OsMFT2. However, the functions of these two genes in regulating rice seed germination under salt stress remain unknown. In this study, we found that seeds of loss-of-function osmft1 mutants germinated faster than wild-type (WT) seeds under salt stress, but this was not the case for loss-of-function osmft2 mutants. Overexpression of OsMFT1 (OsMFT1OE) or OsMFT2 increased the sensitivity to salt stress during seed germination. Transcriptome comparisons of osmft1 vs WT in the absence and presence of salt stress yielded several differentially expressed genes, which were associated with salt stress, plant hormone metabolism and signaling pathways, such as B-BOX ZINC FINGER 6, O. sativa bZIP PROTEIN 8 and GIBBERELLIN (GA) 20-oxidase 1. In addition, the sensitivity of OsMFT1OE seeds to GA and osmft1 seeds to abscisic acid (ABA) during seed germination increased under salt stress. Overall, our results indicate that ABA and GA metabolism and their signaling pathways are regulated by OsMFT1, modulating seed germination in rice under salt stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunxun Lu
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ziyu Guo
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shiyu Di
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yuyang Lu
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | | | - Chenyu Rong
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yanfeng Ding
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Weiqiang Li
- Jilin Da'an Agro-ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Changchun Jingyuetan Remote Sensing Experiment Station, Key Laboratory of Mollisols Agroecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.4888 Shengbei Street, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Chengqiang Ding
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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Osnato M. Evolution of flowering time genes in rice: From the paleolithic to the anthropocene. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:1046-1059. [PMID: 36411270 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary paths of humans and plants have crossed more than once throughout millennia. While agriculture contributed to the evolution of societies in prehistory, human selection of desirable traits contributed to the evolution of crops during centuries of cultivation. Among cereal crops, rice is currently grown around the globe and represents staple food for almost half of the world population. Over time, rice cultivation has expanded from subtropical to temperate regions thanks to artificial selection of mutants with impaired response to photoperiod. Additional regulatory mechanisms control flowering in response to diverse environmental cues, anticipating or delaying the floral transition to produce seeds in more favourable conditions. Nevertheless, the changing climate is threatening grain production because modern cultivars are sensitive to external fluctuations that go beyond their physiological range. One possibility to guarantee food production could be the exploitation of novel varieties obtained by crossing highly productive Asian rice with stress tolerant African rice. This review explores the genetic basis of the key traits that marked the long journey of rice cultivation from the end of the paleolithic to the anthropocene, with a focus on heading date. By 2050, will rice plants of the future flower in the outer space?
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Osnato
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
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Yang Z, Qin F. The battle of crops against drought: Genetic dissection and improvement. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 65:496-525. [PMID: 36639908 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
With ongoing global climate change, water scarcity-induced drought stress remains a major threat to agricultural productivity. Plants undergo a series of physiological and morphological changes to cope with drought stress, including stomatal closure to reduce transpiration and changes in root architecture to optimize water uptake. Combined phenotypic and multi-omics studies have recently identified a number of drought-related genetic resources in different crop species. The functional dissection of these genes using molecular techniques has enriched our understanding of drought responses in crops and has provided genetic targets for enhancing resistance to drought. Here, we review recent advances in the cloning and functional analysis of drought resistance genes and the development of technologies to mitigate the threat of drought to crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhirui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Feng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
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Liu H, Xiao S, Sui S, Huang R, Wang X, Wu H, Liu X. A tandem CCCH type zinc finger protein gene CpC3H3 from Chimonanthus praecox promotes flowering and enhances drought tolerance in Arabidopsis. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:506. [PMID: 36309643 PMCID: PMC9617390 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03877-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CCCH-type zinc finger proteins play important roles in plant development and biotic/abiotic stress responses. Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) is a popular ornamental plant with strong resistance to various stresses, which is a good material for exploring gene resource for stress response. In this study, we isolated a CCCH type zinc finger protein gene CpC3H3 (MZ964860) from flower of wintersweet and performed functional analysis with a purpose of identifying gene resource for floral transition and stress tolerance. RESULTS CpC3H3 was predicted a CCCH type zinc finger protein gene encoding a protein containing 446 amino acids with five conserved C-X8-C-X5-C-X3-H motifs. CpC3H3 was localized in the cell membrane but with a nuclear export signal at the N-terminal. Transcripts of CpC3H3 were significantly accumulated in flower buds at floral meristem formation stage, and were induced by polyethylene glycol. Overexpression of CpC3H3 promoted flowering, and enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic A. thaliana. CpC3H3 overexpression affects the expression level of genes involved in flower inducement and stress responses. Further comparative studies on physiological indices showed the contents of proline and soluble sugar, activity of peroxidase and the rates of electrolyte leakage were significantly increased and the content of malondialdehyde and osmotic potential was significantly reduced in transgenic A. thaliana under PEG stress. CONCLUSION Overall, CpC3H3 plays a role in flowering inducement and drought tolerance in transgenic A. thaliana. The CpC3H3 gene has the potential to be used to promote flowering and enhance drought tolerance in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huamin Liu
- College of Landscape Architecture and Life Science/Institute of Special Plants, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Yongchuan, Chongqing, 402160, China
| | - Shiqi Xiao
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountainous Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Shunzhao Sui
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountainous Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Renwei Huang
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Characteristic Horticultural Biological Resources, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Xia Wang
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountainous Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Huafeng Wu
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountainous Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xia Liu
- College of Landscape Architecture and Life Science/Institute of Special Plants, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Yongchuan, Chongqing, 402160, China.
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Gu H, Zhang K, Chen J, Gull S, Chen C, Hou Y, Li X, Miao J, Zhou Y, Liang G. OsFTL4, an FT-like Gene, Regulates Flowering Time and Drought Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.). RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 15:47. [PMID: 36068333 PMCID: PMC9448835 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-022-00593-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The initiation of flowering in cereals is a critical process influenced by environmental and endogenous signals. Flowering Locus T-like (FT-like) genes encode the main signals for flowering. Of the 13 FT-like genes in the rice genome, Hd3a/OsFTL2 and RFT1/OsFTL3 have been extensively studied and revealed to be critical for flowering. In this study, a rice FT-like gene, OsFTL4, was functionally characterized. Specifically, osftl4 mutants were generated using a CRISPR/Cas9 system. Compared with the wild-type control (Guangluai 4), the osftl4-1 and osftl4-2 mutants flowered 9.6 and 5.8 days earlier under natural long-day and short-day conditions, respectively. Additionally, OsFTL4 was mainly expressed in the vascular tissue, with the resulting OsFTL4 protein localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Furthermore, OsFTL4 was observed to compete with Hd3a for the interaction with multiple 14-3-3 proteins. An analysis of the effects of simulated drought stress suggested that silencing OsFTL4 enhances drought tolerance by decreasing stomatal conductance and water loss. These results indicate that OsFTL4 helps integrate the flowering process and the drought response in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houwen Gu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Kunming Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Sadia Gull
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Chuyan Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yafei Hou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Xiangbo Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Jun Miao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Guohua Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China.
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Lu Y, Chuan M, Wang H, Chen R, Tao T, Zhou Y, Xu Y, Li P, Yao Y, Xu C, Yang Z. Genetic and molecular factors in determining grain number per panicle of rice. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:964246. [PMID: 35991390 PMCID: PMC9386260 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.964246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
It was suggested that the most effective way to improve rice grain yield is to increase the grain number per panicle (GN) through the breeding practice in recent decades. GN is a representative quantitative trait affected by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Understanding the mechanisms controlling GN has become an important research field in rice biotechnology and breeding. The regulation of rice GN is coordinately controlled by panicle architecture and branch differentiation, and many GN-associated genes showed pleiotropic effect in regulating tillering, grain size, flowering time, and other domestication-related traits. It is also revealed that GN determination is closely related to vascular development and the metabolism of some phytohormones. In this review, we summarize the recent findings in rice GN determination and discuss the genetic and molecular mechanisms of GN regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Lu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Mingli Chuan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hanyao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Rujia Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Tianyun Tao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Youli Yao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Chenwu Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zefeng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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10
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Gong L, Liao S, Duan W, Liu Y, Zhu D, Zhou X, Xue B, Chu C, Liang YK. OsCPL3 is involved in brassinosteroid signaling by regulating OsGSK2 stability. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 64:1560-1574. [PMID: 35665602 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) proteins play key roles in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling during plant growth and development by phosphorylating various substrates. However, how GSK3 protein stability and activity are themselves modulated is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate in vitro and in vivo that C-TERMINAL DOMAIN PHOSPHATASE-LIKE 3 (OsCPL3), a member of the RNA Pol II CTD phosphatase-like family, physically interacts with OsGSK2 in rice (Oryza sativa). OsCPL3 expression was widely detected in various tissues and organs including roots, leaves and lamina joints, and was induced by exogenous BR treatment. OsCPL3 localized to the nucleus, where it dephosphorylated OsGSK2 at the Ser-222 and Thr-284 residues to modulate its protein turnover and kinase activity, in turn affecting the degradation of BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) and BR signaling. Loss of OsCPL3 function resulted in higher OsGSK2 abundance and lower OsBZR1 levels, leading to decreased BR responsiveness and alterations in plant morphology including semi-dwarfism, leaf erectness and grain size, which are of fundamental importance to crop productivity. These results reveal a previously unrecognized role for OsCPL3 and add another layer of complexity to the tightly controlled BR signaling pathway in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luping Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Shenghao Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Wen Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yongqiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, the Innovative Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Dongmei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Xiaosheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Baoping Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Chengcai Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, the Innovative Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yun-Kuan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
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11
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Rong C, Liu Y, Chang Z, Liu Z, Ding Y, Ding C. Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase family genes exhibit functional divergence and overlap in rice growth and development, especially in control of tillering. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:3552-3568. [PMID: 35247044 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Cytokinins play key roles in plant growth and development, and hence their biosynthesis and degradation have been extensively studied. Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenases (CKXs) are a group of enzymes that regulate oxidative cleavage to maintain cytokinin homeostasis. In rice, 11 CKX genes have been identified to date; however, most of their functions remain unknown. In this study, we comprehensively examined the expression patterns and functions of the CKXs in rice by using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to construct mutants of all 11 genes. The results revealed that the ckx single-mutants and higher-order ckx4 ckx9 mutant lines showed functional overlaps and sub-functionalization. Notably, the ckx1 ckx2 and ckx4 ckx9 double-mutants displayed contrasting phenotypic changes in tiller number and panicle size compared to the wild-type. In addition, we identified several genes with significantly altered expression in both the ckx4 and ckx9 single-mutant and double-mutant plants. Many of the differentially expressed genes were found to be associated with auxin and cytokinin pathways, and cytokinins in the ckx4 ckx9 double-mutant were increased compared to the wild-type. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the functions of CKX genes in rice growth and may provide the foundations for future studies aimed at improving rice yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Rong
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuexin Liu
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongyuan Chang
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanfeng Ding
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengqiang Ding
- College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
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12
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Zheng Y, Wang N, Zhang Z, Liu W, Xie W. Identification of Flowering Regulatory Networks and Hub Genes Expressed in the Leaves of Elymus sibiricus L. Using Comparative Transcriptome Analysis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:877908. [PMID: 35651764 PMCID: PMC9150504 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.877908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Flowering is a significant stage from vegetative growth to reproductive growth in higher plants, which impacts the biomass and seed yield. To reveal the flowering time variations and identify the flowering regulatory networks and hub genes in Elymus sibiricus, we measured the booting, heading, and flowering times of 66 E. sibiricus accessions. The booting, heading, and flowering times varied from 136 to 188, 142 to 194, and 148 to 201 days, respectively. The difference in flowering time between the earliest- and the last-flowering accessions was 53 days. Furthermore, transcriptome analyses were performed at the three developmental stages of six accessions with contrasting flowering times. A total of 3,526 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predicted and 72 candidate genes were identified, including transcription factors, known flowering genes, and plant hormone-related genes. Among them, four candidate genes (LATE, GA2OX6, FAR3, and MFT1) were significantly upregulated in late-flowering accessions. LIMYB, PEX19, GWD3, BOR7, PMEI28, LRR, and AIRP2 were identified as hub genes in the turquoise and blue modules which were related to the development time of flowering by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of LIMYB found by multiple sequence alignment may cause late flowering. The expression pattern of flowering candidate genes was verified in eight flowering promoters (CRY, COL, FPF1, Hd3, GID1, FLK, VIN3, and FPA) and four flowering suppressors (CCA1, ELF3, Ghd7, and COL4) under drought and salt stress by qRT-PCR. The results suggested that drought and salt stress activated the flowering regulation pathways to some extent. The findings of the present study lay a foundation for the functional verification of flowering genes and breeding of new varieties of early- and late-flowering E. sibiricus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Zheng
- The State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Na Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zongyu Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Xining, China
| | - Wengang Xie
- The State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wengang Xie
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13
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Martignago D, Siemiatkowska B, Lombardi A, Conti L. Abscisic Acid and Flowering Regulation: Many Targets, Different Places. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9700. [PMID: 33353251 PMCID: PMC7767233 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants can react to drought stress by anticipating flowering, an adaptive strategy for plant survival in dry climates known as drought escape (DE). In Arabidopsis, the study of DE brought to surface the involvement of abscisic acid (ABA) in controlling the floral transition. A central question concerns how and in what spatial context can ABA signals affect the floral network. In the leaf, ABA signaling affects flowering genes responsible for the production of the main florigen FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). At the shoot apex, FD and FD-like transcription factors interact with FT and FT-like proteins to regulate ABA responses. This knowledge will help separate general and specific roles of ABA signaling with potential benefits to both biology and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lucio Conti
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria, 26-20133 Milan, Italy; (D.M.); (B.S.); (A.L.)
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