eCite Digital Repository
The Medicago FLOWERING LOCUS T Homolog, MtFTa1, Is a Key Regulator of Flowering Time
Citation
Laurie, RE and Diwadkar, P and Jaudal, M and Zhang, L and Hecht, V and Wen, J and Tadege, M and Mysore, KS and Putterill, J and Weller, JL and Macknight, RC, The Medicago FLOWERING LOCUS T Homolog, MtFTa1, Is a Key Regulator of Flowering Time, Plant Physiology, 156, (4) pp. 2207-2224. ISSN 0032-0889 (2011) [Refereed Article]
 | PDF Restricted - Request a copy 18Mb |
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2011 by the American Society of Plant Biologists
DOI: doi:10.1104/pp.111.180182
Abstract
FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes encode proteins that function as the mobile floral signal, florigen. In this study, we
characterized five FT-like genes from the model legume, Medicago (Medicago truncatula). The different FT genes showed
distinct patterns of expression and responses to environmental cues. Three of the FT genes (MtFTa1, MtFTb1, and MtFTc) were
able to complement the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ft-1 mutant, suggesting that they are capable of functioning as
florigen. MtFTa1 is the only one of the FT genes that is up-regulated by both long days (LDs) and vernalization, conditions that
promote Medicago flowering, and transgenic Medicago plants overexpressing the MtFTa1 gene flowered very rapidly. The key
role MtFTa1 plays in regulating flowering was demonstrated by the identification of fta1 mutants that flowered significantly
later in all conditions examined. fta1 mutants do not respond to vernalization but are still responsive to LDs, indicating that the
induction of flowering by prolonged cold acts solely through MtFTa1, whereas photoperiodic induction of flowering involves
other genes, possibly MtFTb1, which is only expressed in leaves under LD conditions and therefore might contribute to the
photoperiodic regulation of flowering. The role of the MtFTc gene is unclear, as the ftc mutants did not have any obvious
flowering-time or other phenotypes. Overall, this work reveals the diversity of the regulation and function of the Medicago FT
family.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Plant biology |
| Research Field: | Plant physiology |
| Objective Division: | Expanding Knowledge |
| Objective Group: | Expanding knowledge |
| Objective Field: | Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences |
| UTAS Author: | Hecht, V (Dr Valerie Hecht) |
| UTAS Author: | Weller, JL (Associate Professor Jim Weller) |
| ID Code: | 72266 |
| Year Published: | 2011 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 100 |
| Deposited By: | Plant Science |
| Deposited On: | 2011-08-24 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-11-02 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
Repository Staff Only: item control page