title: Analysis of the arabidopsis REM gene family predicts functions during flower development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The REM (Reproductive Meristem) gene family of Arabidopsis thaliana is part of the B3 DNA-binding domain superfamily. Despite the fact that several groups have worked on the REM genes for many years, little is known about the function of this transcription factor family. This study aims to identify a set of REM genes involved in flower development and to characterize their function.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to provide an overview of the REM gene family, a detailed expression analysis for all REM genes of A. thaliana was performed and combined with a meta-analysis of ChIP-sequencing and microarray experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two sets of phylogenetically closely related REM genes, namely REM23, REM24 and REM25, and REM34, REM35 and REM36, were identified as possibly being involved in the early stages of flower development. Single- and double-mutant combinations were analysed for these genes, and no phenotypic effects were detected during flower development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that the REM34, REM35 and REM36 group is the most interesting one, as REM34 is co-expressed with the floral meristem identity (FMI) genes, they are bound by AP1, SVP, AP3 and PI, and they are expressed in the floral meristem and during the earliest stages of flower development. However, it appears that high levels of functional redundancy may conceal the exact function of these transcription factor genes.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Otho
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mantegazza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gregis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta Adelina
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biofisica, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morandini
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Dept de Genética, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária 21941-902-Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alves-Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biociencias, Departamento de Botanica Av. Pasteur, no. 458, Urca, sala 306, 22290-255 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Patreze
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Dept de Genética, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária 21941-902-Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nardeli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Martin M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kater
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biofisica, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy lucia.colombo@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018519:Meristem / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D010802:Phylogeny; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Arabidopsis thaliana; B3 domain; FMI; REM gene; floral meristem identity; flower development; reproductive meristem; transcription factor