Dataset Information

Regulation of FT splicing by an endogenous cue in temperate grasses.

ABSTRACT: Appropriate flowering timing is crucial for plant reproductive success. The florigen, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), interacts with 14-3-3 proteins and the bZIP transcription factor FD, functioning at core nodes in multiple flowering pathways. There are two FT homologues, FT1 and FT2, in Brachypodium distachyon. Here we show that FT2 undergoes age-dependent alternative splicing (AS), resulting in two splice variants (FT2? and FT2?). The FT2?-encoded protein cannot interact with FD or 14-3-3s but is able to form heterodimers with FT2? and FT1, thereby interfering with the florigen-mediated assembly of the flowering initiation complex. Notably, transgenic plants overproducing FT2? exhibit delayed flowering, while transgenic plants in which FT2? is silenced by an artificial microRNA display accelerated flowering, demonstrating a dominant-negative role of FT2? in flowering induction. Furthermore, we show that the AS splicing of FT2 is conserved in important cereal crops, such as barley and wheat. Collectively, these findings reveal a novel posttranscriptional mode of FT regulation in temperate grasses.

SUBMITTER: Qin Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5296679 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Regulation of FT splicing by an endogenous cue in temperate grasses.

Qin Zhengrui Z Wu Jiajie J Geng Shuaifeng S Feng Nan N Chen Fengjuan F Kong Xingchen X Song Gaoyuan G Chen Kai K Li Aili A Mao Long L Wu Liang L

Nature communications 20170201

Appropriate flowering timing is crucial for plant reproductive success. The florigen, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), interacts with 14-3-3 proteins and the bZIP transcription factor FD, functioning at core nodes in multiple flowering pathways. There are two FT homologues, FT1 and FT2, in Brachypodium distachyon. Here we show that FT2 undergoes age-dependent alternative splicing (AS), resulting in two splice variants (FT2α and FT2β). The FT2β-encoded protein cannot interact with FD or 14-3-3s but is abl ...[more]

PMID: 28145403

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Project description:Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is a model for the temperate grasses which include important cereals such as barley, wheat and oats. Comparison of the Brachypodium genome (accession Bd21) with those of the model dicot Arabidopsis thaliana and the tropical cereal rice (Oryza sativa) provides an opportunity to compare and contrast genetic pathways controlling important traits. We analysed the homologies of genes controlling the induction of flowering using pathways curated in Arabidopsis Reactome as a starting point. Pathways include those detecting and responding to the environmental cues of day length (photoperiod) and extended periods of low temperature (vernalization). Variation in these responses has been selected during cereal domestication, providing an interesting comparison with the wild genome of Brachypodium. Brachypodium Bd21 has well conserved homologues of circadian clock, photoperiod pathway and autonomous pathway genes defined in Arabidopsis and homologues of vernalization pathway genes defined in cereals with the exception of VRN2 which was absent. Bd21 also lacked a member of the CO family (CO3). In both cases flanking genes were conserved showing that these genes are deleted in at least this accession. Segmental duplication explains the presence of two CO-like genes in temperate cereals, of which one (Hd1) is retained in rice, and explains many differences in gene family structure between grasses and Arabidopsis. The conserved fine structure of duplications shows that they largely evolved to their present structure before the divergence of the rice and Brachypodium. Of four flowering-time genes found in rice but absent in Arabidopsis, two were found in Bd21 (Id1, OsMADS51) and two were absent (Ghd7, Ehd1). Overall, results suggest that an ancient core photoperiod pathway promoting flowering via the induction of FT has been modified by the recruitment of additional lineage specific pathways that promote or repress FT expression.

Dataset Information

Regulation of FT splicing by an endogenous cue in temperate grasses.

Publications

Regulation of FT splicing by an endogenous cue in temperate grasses.

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