title: Genomic organization of the AODEF gene in Asparagus officinalis L.
abstract: The perianths of Liliaceae plants, such as lily and tulip, have two whorls of almost identical petaloid organs, which are called tepals. According to the modified ABC model proposed in tulip, the class B genes are expressed in whorl 1 as well as whorls 2 and 3, so that the organs of whorls 1 and 2 have the same petaloid structure. The floral structure of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is similar to that of Liliaceae plants, however, the expression of B-class genes (AODEF, AOGLOA, AOGLOB) was not found in whorl 1, but was confined to whorls 2 and 3. This result does not support the modified ABC model in asparagus. In order to gain a better understanding of asparagus flower development, we have characterized a genomic clone of the AODEF gene. We compared the genomic organization and promoter sequence of AODEF with three well-studied DEF-like genes, DEFICIENS (Antirrhinum), APETALA3 (Arabidopsis), and OSMADS16 (rice). Exon-intron structures of these genes are well-conserved except for the large fifth intron in the AODEF gene and the OSMADS16 gene. Putative cis-elements including CArG-boxes were found in the promoter region and forty-two microsatellites were found in the AODEF genomic sequence.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Mutsumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakada
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kameya
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanno
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D027761:Asparagus Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D005091:Exons; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D018745:Genome, Plant; D015698:Genomic Library; D007438:Introns; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins