Molecular characterization of FLOWERING LOCUS T-like genes of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.).
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.
Kotoda
Nobuhiro
N
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
Hayashi
Hidehiro
H
Suzuki
Motoko
M
Igarashi
Megumi
M
Hatsuyama
Yoshimichi
Y
Kidou
Shin-Ichiro
S
Igasaki
Tomohiro
T
Nishiguchi
Mitsuru
M
Yano
Kanako
K
Shimizu
Tokurou
T
Takahashi
Sae
S
Iwanami
Hiroshi
H
Moriya
Shigeki
S
Abe
Kazuyuki
K
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
D010940:Plant Proteins