title: Environmental-dependent acceleration of a developmental switch: the floral transition.
abstract: The transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth in plants in which flowers are produced requires the activation of specific genes. Simpson and Dean discuss two recent reports that characterize the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene in Arabidopsis, which is part of the floral transition pathway. Unlike many of the known genes that initiate flower production, the FT gene appears to encode a membrane-associated protein that could function in signaling from the cell surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dean
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000502:physiology*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008029:Lighting; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D018519:Meristem / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C091535:AP1 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C418905:FT protein, Arabidopsis; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C074747:LFY protein, Arabidopsis; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C102864:TFL1 protein, Arabidopsis; D014157:Transcription Factors