title: The paleoAP3-type gene CpAP3, an ancestral B-class gene from the basal angiosperm Chimonanthus praecox, can affect stamen and petal development in higher eudicots.
abstract: Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), a basal angiosperm endemic to China, has high ornamental value for developing beautiful flowers with strong fragrance. The molecular mechanism regulating flower development in wintersweet remains largely elusive. In this project, we seek to determine the molecular features and expression patterns of the C. praecox paleoAP3-type gene CpAP3 and examine its potential role in regulating floral development via ectopic expression in Arabidopsis thaliana and Petunia hybrida. The expression of CpAP3 is tissue-specific, with the highest level in the tepals, moderate level in carpels, and weak levels in stamen and vegetative stem tissues. Its dynamic expression during flowering is associated with flower-bud formation. Ectopic expression of CpAP3 partially rescued stamen development in ap3 mutant Arabidopsis. Although no phenotypic effect has been observed in wild-type Arabidopsis, CpAP3 overexpression in petunia brought rich morphological changes and homeotic conversions to flowers, mainly involving disruption of petal and stamen development. Expressed in a broader range than those canonical B-function regulators, the ancestral B-class gene CpAP3 can affect petal and stamen development in higher eudicots. This gene also holds some bioengineering potential in creating novel floral germplasms.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Institute of Biotechnology, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS), Minhang District, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bei-Guo
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Li-Gang
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xue-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ai-Hu
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Shun-Zhao
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.forename: Guang-Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D031237:Calycanthaceae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D002681:China; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010802:Phylogeny; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified
chemical_list: D026161:MADS Domain Proteins