Mitochondrial regulation of flower development.
Flower development in plants depends not only on a set of nuclear genes but also on the coordinate action of the mitochondrion. Certain mitochondrial genomes in combination with certain nuclear genomes lead to the expression of cytoplasmic male-sterility (CMS). Both mitochondrial genes that determine male-sterility and nuclear Restorer-of-fertility genes that suppress the male-sterile phenotype have been cloned. Lately, the interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear genes through retrograde signalling in CMS-systems have been dissected. Of special interest are the altered expression patterns of floral homeotic genes in certain CMS-systems. Here, we review the mitochondrial influence on flower development and give examples from CMS-systems developed in Brassica, Daucus carota, Nicotiana tabacum and Triticum aestivum.
Department of Plant Biology and Forest Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Jenny
J
Carlsson
Matti
M
Leino
Joel
J
Sohlberg
Jens F
JF
Sundström
Kristina
K
Glimelius
D001937:Brassica / Q000235:genetics; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000235:genetics; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development*; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000502:physiology; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D051479:Plant Infertility / Q000235:genetics*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics