title: Two FLX family members are non-redundantly required to establish the vernalization requirement in Arabidopsis.
abstract: Studies of natural genetic variation for the vernalization requirement in Arabidopsis have revealed two genes, FRIGIDA and FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), that are determinants of the vernalization-requiring, winter-annual habit. In this study, we show that FLOWERING LOCUS C EXPRESSOR-LIKE 4 (FLL4) is essential for upregulation of FLC in winter-annual Arabidopsis accessions and establishment of a vernalization requirement. FLL4 is part of the FLOWERING LOCUS C EXPRESSOR gene family and both are non-redundantly involved in flowering time control. Epistasis analysis among FRIGIDA, FLL4, FLOWERING LOCUS C EXPRESSOR and autonomous-pathway genes reveals that FRIGIDA fve exhibits an extreme delay of flowering compared with fri fve, but mutants in other autonomous-pathway genes do not, indicating that FVE acts most antagonistically to FRIGIDA. FLL4 may represent a new member of a FRI-containing complex that activates FLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Joohyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Amasino
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C418902:At5g10140 protein, Arabidopsis; C414613:FRI protein, Arabidopsis; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; C116635:MSI4 protein, Arabidopsis; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014157:Transcription Factors