title: The (r)evolution of gene regulatory networks controlling Arabidopsis plant reproduction: a two-decade history.
abstract: Successful plant reproduction relies on the perfect orchestration of singular processes that culminate in the product of reproduction: the seed. The floral transition, floral organ development, and fertilization are well-studied processes and the genetic regulation of the various steps is being increasingly unveiled. Initially, based predominantly on genetic studies, the regulatory pathways were considered to be linear, but recent genome-wide analyses, using high-throughput technologies, have begun to reveal a different scenario. Complex gene regulatory networks underlie these processes, including transcription factors, microRNAs, movable factors, hormones, and chromatin-modifying proteins. Here we review recent progress in understanding the networks that control the major steps in plant reproduction, showing how new advances in experimental and computational technologies have been instrumental. As these recent discoveries were obtained using the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, we will restrict this review to regulatory networks in this important model species. However, more fragmentary information obtained from other species reveals that both the developmental processes and the underlying regulatory networks are largely conserved, making this review also of interest to those studying other plant species.
authors.affiliation: Plant Research International (PRI) Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pajoro
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biewers
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dougali
authors.affiliation: Plant Research International (PRI) Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leal Valentim
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Marta Adelina
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl von Linne Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne, Germany gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Aimone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porri
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl von Linne Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coupland
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium Genomics Research Institute (GRI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Van de Peer
authors.affiliation: Plant Research International (PRI) Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands Biometris, Wageningen University, Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aalt D J
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Plant Research International (PRI) Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalseweg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands gerco.angenent@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Gerco C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Angenent
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019295:Computational Biology; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D012098:Reproduction
keywords: Flowering time; floral organ development; gene regulation; molecular interactions; networks; transcription factors.