title: Conservation of B-class floral homeotic gene function between maize and Arabidopsis.
abstract: The ABC model of flower development, established through studies in eudicot model species, proposes that petal and stamen identity are under the control of B-class genes. Analysis of B- and C-class genes in the grass species rice and maize suggests that the C- and B-class functions are conserved between monocots and eudicots, with B-class genes controlling stamen and lodicule development. We have undertaken a further analysis of the maize B-class genes Silky1, the putative AP3 ortholog, and Zmm16, a putative PI ortholog, in order to compare their function with the Arabidopsis B-class genes. Our results show that maize B-class proteins interact in vitro to bind DNA as an obligate heterodimer, as do Arabidopsis B-class proteins. The maize proteins also interact with the appropriate Arabidopsis B-class partner proteins to bind DNA. Furthermore, we show that maize B-class genes are capable of rescuing the corresponding Arabidopsis B-class mutant phenotypes. This demonstrates B-class activity of the maize gene Zmm16, and provides compelling evidence that B-class gene function is conserved between monocots and eudicots.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA.
authors.forename: Clinton J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Whipple
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ciceri
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ambrose
authors.forename: Simona L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bandong
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C101342:APETALA 3 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins