title: The floral regulator LEAFY evolves by substitutions in the DNA binding domain.
abstract: The plant-specific transcription factor LEAFY controls general aspects of the life cycle in a basal plant, the moss Physcomitrella patens. In contrast, LEAFY has more specialized functions in angiosperms, where it specifically induces floral fate during the reproductive phase. This raises the question of a concomitant change in the biochemical function of LEAFY during the evolution of land plants. We report that the DNA binding domain of LEAFY, although largely conserved, has diverged in activity. On the contrary, other, more rapidly evolving portions of the protein have few effects on LEAFY activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maizel
authors.forename: Maximilian A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanahashi
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perkovic
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Mitsuyasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasebe
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weigel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors