Diversification of three APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like genes in wheat.
The genomes of grass family species have three paralogs of APETALA1/FRUITFULL (AP1/FUL)-like genes (FUL1, FUL2 and FUL3) that are derived from the FUL lineage. In this study, we focus on the different roles of the wheat AP1/FUL-like genes, WFUL1 (identical to VRN1), WFUL2 and WFUL3, during the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. Sequence analysis indicated that there was a high level of variability in the amino acid sequence of the C-domain among three WFUL genes. Expression analyses using the spring wheat cultivar Chinese Spring indicated that WFUL1/VRN1 was expressed in leaves as well as spike primordia of non-vernalized plants at the vegetative stage just before phase transition, while WFUL2 and WFUL3 were not expressed in leaves. This result indicates that WFUL1/VRN1 performs a distinct role in leaves before phase transition. In young spikes, WFUL1/VRN1 and WFUL3 were expressed in all developing Xoral organs, whereas WFUL2 expression was restricted in the Xoral organs to the lemma and palea. Furthermore, yeast two-hybrid and three-hybrid analyses revealed that WFUL2, but not WFUL1/VRN1 or WFUL3, interacted with class B and class E proteins. These results suggest that WFUL2 of wheat has class A functions in specifying the identities of Xoral meristems and outer Xoral organs (lemma and palea) through collaboration with class B and class E genes.
Department of Bioscience, Fukui Prefectural University, Matsuoka-kenjojima, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui 910-1195, Japan.
Hiroko
H
Kinjo
Naoki
N
Shitsukawa
Shigeo
S
Takumi
Koji
K
Murai
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018519:Meristem / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics*
D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins