Gene networks controlling Arabidopsis thaliana flower development

Abstract

16I.16II.17III.18IV.19V.21VI.23VII.26VIII.2627References27 Summary The formation of flowers is one of the main models for studying the regulatory mechanisms that underlie plant development and evolution. Over the past three decades, extensive genetic and molecular analyses have led to the identification of a large number of key floral regulators and to detailed insights into how they control flower morphogenesis. In recent years, genome‐wide approaches have been applied to obtaining a global view of the gene regulatory networks underlying flower formation. Furthermore, mathematical models have been developed that can simulate certain aspects of this process and drive further experimentation. Here, we review some of the main findings made in the field of Arabidopsis thaliana flower development, with an emphasis on recent advances. In particular, we discuss the activities of the floral organ identity factors, which are pivotal for the specification of the different types of floral organs, and explore the experimental avenues that may elucidate the molecular mechanisms and gene expression programs through which these master regulators of flower development act.

Floral Organogenesis: When Knowing Your ABCs Is Not Enough

“…Since the 1980s, forward and reverse genetic screens have led to the identification of dozens of key regulators of flower development (Causier and Davies, 2014;Ó'Maoiléidigh et al, 2014aÓ'Maoiléidigh et al, , 2014bPrunet and Jack, 2014). The functions of many of the genes have subsequently been studied in great detail using a wide range of experimental approaches.…”

Proteomic analysis of flowers at two developmental stages in Thermopsis turcica (Fabaceae)

“…To date, comprehensive genetic and molecular analyses in Arabidopsis thaliana, Antirrhinum majus, Petunia hybrida, and Oryza sativa have identified numerous key floral regulatory genes such as members of the MADS-Box family and provided knowledge about their roles in morphogenesis (Ó'Maoiléidigh et al, 2014). The preferential expression of MADS-box genes in flowers of legumes suggested a similar regulatory network during flower development in legumes (Jung et al, 2012;Singh et al, 2013).…”

“…Flower development is controlled by a combination of genetics and environmental factors such as light and temperature affecting hormone levels (Davis, 2009;Domagalska et al, 2010). Studies in Arabidopsis thaliana and other angiosperm species including Antirrhinum majus, Petunia hybrid, and Oryza sativa have helped to elucidate the complex network regulated tightly during flower development (Ó'Maoiléidigh et al, 2014). Based on similarity searches, most of the flowering genes were found to be conserved in some legume species (Hecht et al, 2005).…”

Promotion of Efficient Molecular Breeding Using Chimeric Repressors in Ornamental Flowers

“…The TFs act as a master switch to upregulate or downregulate the other 90% of the plant genes; therefore, TFs have various important functions in the plant body, such as the floral organs. For example, floral organ identity is explained by the ABCEmodel (Ma 1994, Theißen 2001, Ó'Maoiléidigh et al 2014 in which the A-, B-, C-and E-function genes are TFs having a MADS-box DNA binding domain. Furthermore, floral zygomorphy that is observed in Antirrhinum majus and Lotus japonicus is also controlled by TFs, such as CYCLOIDEA, DICHOTOMA, DIVARICATA, and RADIALIS (Preston & Hileman 2009, Feng et al 2006.…”