title: Molecular characterization of FLOWERING LOCUS T-like genes of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.).
abstract: The two FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.), MdFT1 and MdFT2, have been isolated and characterized. MdFT1 and MdFT2 were mapped, respectively, on distinct linkage groups (LGs) with partial homoeology, LG 12 and LG 4. The expression pattern of MdFT1 and MdFT2 differed in that MdFT1 was expressed mainly in apical buds of fruit-bearing shoots in the adult phase, with little expression in the juvenile tissues, whereas MdFT2 was expressed mainly in reproductive organs, including flower buds and young fruit. On the other hand, both genes had the potential to induce early flowering since transgenic Arabidopsis, which ectopically expressed MdFT1 or MdFT2, flowered earlier than wild-type plants. Furthermore, overexpression of MdFT1 conferred precocious flowering in apple, with altered expression of other endogenous genes, such as MdMADS12. These results suggest that MdFT1 could function to promote flowering by altering the expression of those genes and that, at least, other genes may play an important role as well in the regulation of flowering in apple. The long juvenile period of fruit trees prevents early cropping and efficient breeding. Our findings will be useful information to unveil the molecular mechanism of flowering and to develop methods to shorten the juvenile period in various fruit trees, including apple.
authors.affiliation: Apple Breeding and Physiology Research Team, National Institute of Fruit Tree Science, 92-24 Nabe-yashiki, Shimo-kuriyagawa, Morioka, 020-0123 Japan. k oto@affrc.go.jp
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kotoda
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: Yoshimichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hatsuyama
authors.forename: Shin-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kidou
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igasaki
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishiguchi
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Tokurou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Sae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwanami
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D027845:Malus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins