Major-Effect Alleles at Relatively Few Loci Underlie Distinct Vernalization and Flowering Variation in Arabidopsis Accessions

Strange, Amy; Li, Peijin; Lister, Clare; Anderson, J.P.; Warthmann, Norman; Shindo, Chikako; Irwin, Judith A.; Nordborg, Magnus; Dean, Caroline

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019949

Cited by 78 publications

(79 citation statements)

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“…In some cases, this variation is directly related to quantitative traits that can be mapped and associated with developmental or physiological processes (Atwell et al, 2010;Strange et al, 2011), whereas in others it can be traced to functional multiallelic diversity of a single locus (Todesco et al, 2010). Epigenetic natural variation, manifested through either epimutations or epialleles, is currently under intense investigation to assess its impact in both adaptability and evolution.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Variation in Epigenetic Pathways Affects the Specification of Female Gamete Precursors in Arabidopsis

et al. 2015

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In angiosperms, the transition to the female gametophytic phase relies on the specification of premeiotic gamete precursors from sporophytic cells in the ovule. In Arabidopsis thaliana, a single diploid cell is specified as the premeiotic female gamete precursor. Here, we show that ecotypes of Arabidopsis exhibit differences in megasporogenesis leading to phenotypes reminiscent of defects in dominant mutations that epigenetically affect the specification of female gamete precursors. Intraspecific hybridization and polyploidy exacerbate these defects, which segregate quantitatively in F2 populations derived from ecotypic hybrids, suggesting that multiple loci control cell specification at the onset of female meiosis. This variation in cell differentiation is influenced by the activity of ARGONAUTE9 (AGO9) and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE6 (RDR6), two genes involved in epigenetic silencing that control the specification of female gamete precursors. The pattern of transcriptional regulation and localization of AGO9 varies among ecotypes, and abnormal gamete precursors in ovules defective for RDR6 share identity with ectopic gamete precursors found in selected ecotypes. Our results indicate that differences in the epigenetic control of cell specification lead to natural phenotypic variation during megasporogenesis. We propose that this mechanism could be implicated in the emergence and evolution of the reproductive alternatives that prevail in flowering plants.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Variation in Epigenetic Pathways Affects the Specification of Female Gamete Precursors in Arabidopsis

et al. 2015

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“…Another flowering locus, FLM, is in the low-K-specific CHR1.3 interval. However, although many QTL efforts have resulted in mapping flowering loci (Salomé et al, 2011;Strange et al, 2011), there is no guarantee that the corresponding flowering genes are indeed crucial here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Variation of Arabidopsis Root Architecture Reveals Complementing Adaptive Strategies to Potassium Starvation

2013

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Root architecture is a highly plastic and environmentally responsive trait that enables plants to counteract nutrient scarcities with different foraging strategies. In potassium (K) deficiency (low K), seedlings of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) reference accession Columbia (Col-0) show a strong reduction of lateral root elongation. To date, it is not clear whether this is a direct consequence of the lack of K as an osmoticum or a triggered response to maintain the growth of other organs under limiting conditions. In this study, we made use of natural variation within Arabidopsis to look for novel root architectural responses to low K. A comprehensive set of 14 differentially responding root parameters were quantified in K-starved and Kreplete plants. We identified a phenotypic gradient that links two extreme strategies of morphological adaptation to low K arising from a major tradeoff between main root (MR) and lateral root elongation. Accessions adopting strategy I (e.g. Col-0) maintained MR growth but compromised lateral root elongation, whereas strategy II genotypes (e.g. Catania-1) arrested MR elongation in favor of lateral branching. K resupply and histochemical staining resolved the temporal and spatial patterns of these responses. Quantitative trait locus analysis of K-dependent root architectures within a Col-0 3 Catania-1 recombinant inbred line population identified several loci each of which determined a particular subset of root architectural parameters. Our results indicate the existence of genomic hubs in the coordinated control of root growth in stress conditions and provide resources to facilitate the identification of the underlying genes.

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“…Among the summer annual accessions of Arabidopsis from which many of the common laboratory strains are derived, photoperiod is the major factor in dictating the timing of the floral transition, although higher temperatures can accelerate flowering even under short day conditions (Balasubramanian et al, 2006;Kumar et al, 2012;Song et al, 2013). It should be noted, however, that for the vast majority of winter annual Arabidopsis accessions, variation in flowering time predominantly is explained by variation in vernalization pathway components (Johanson et al, 2000;Michaels et al, 2003a;Lempe et al, 2005;Strange et al, 2011). While the concept of graded floral integrator expression and the input of multiple pathways in this response is useful, the discrete nature of many of these pathways has been called into question in recent years, and significant cross-talk between pathways is now known (Amasino, 2010).…”

Section: Overview Of the Flowering Time Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoperiodic Regulation of Florigen Function inArabidopsis thaliana

Golembeski

Imaizumi

2015

The Arabidopsis Book

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One mechanism through which flowering in response to seasonal change is brought about is by sensing the fluctuation in day-length; the photoperiod. Flowering induction occurs through the production of the florigenic protein FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and its movement from the phloem companion cells in the leaf vasculature into the shoot apex, where meristematic reprogramming occurs. FT activation in response to photoperiod condition is accomplished largely through the activity of the transcription factor CONSTANS (CO). Regulation of CO expression and protein stability, as well as the timing of other components via the circadian clock, is a critical mechanism by which plants are able to respond to photoperiod to initiate the floral transition. Modulation of FT expression in response to external and internal stimuli via components of the flowering network is crucial to mediate a fluid flowering response to a variety of environmental parameters. In addition, the regulated movement of FT protein from the phloem to the shoot apex, and interactions that determine floral meristem cell fate, constitute novel mechanisms through which photoperiodic information is translated into flowering time.

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Major-Effect Alleles at Relatively Few Loci Underlie Distinct Vernalization and Flowering Variation in Arabidopsis Accessions

Cited by 78 publications

References 50 publications

Natural Variation in Epigenetic Pathways Affects the Specification of Female Gamete Precursors in Arabidopsis

Natural Variation in Epigenetic Pathways Affects the Specification of Female Gamete Precursors in Arabidopsis

Natural Variation of Arabidopsis Root Architecture Reveals Complementing Adaptive Strategies to Potassium Starvation

Photoperiodic Regulation of Florigen Function inArabidopsis thaliana

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