title: Cloning and functional identification of the AcLFY gene in Allium cepa.
abstract: Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the important vegetable crops in the world, usually with a two-year life cycle. The bulbs form in the first year after sowing, then bolting and flowering are induced by low temperature in the following year. Previous studies have shown that LEAFY gene is an inflorescence tissue specific gene, and that it is also the ultimate collection channel of all flowering pathway. In this study, using homologous gene cloning and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), we isolated an inflorescence meristem specific LEAFY cDNA, AcLFY (JX275962), from onion. AcLFY contains a 1119 bp open reading frame, which encodes a putative protein of 372 amino acids, with ∼70% homology to the daffodils LEAFY and >50% homology to LEAFY proteins from other higher plants. Fluorescence quantitative results showed that AcLFY gene has the highest expression level in inflorescence meristem during early bolting, and is still expressed in leaves after the formation of flower organs. Overexpression of AcLFY gene in Arabidopsis thaliana induced early bolting and flowering, whereas knockdown of the endogenous LEAFY gene by RNAi caused a significant delay in bolting. In addition, transgenic plants also exhibited significant morphological changes in rosette leaves, branches, and plant height.
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Northeast Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Horticulture College of the Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin 150030, China; College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin 150030, China.
authors.forename: Cuicui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Northeast Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Horticulture College of the Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin 150030, China.
authors.forename: Yangyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Northeast Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Horticulture College of the Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin 150030, China.
authors.forename: Ce
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Northeast Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Horticulture College of the Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin 150030, China.
authors.forename: Dian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment of the Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin 150030, China.
authors.forename: Baiwen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Northeast Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Horticulture College of the Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin 150030, China. Electronic address: yongwang@neau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development*; D019697:Onions / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000502:physiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C074747:LFY protein, Arabidopsis; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: AcLFY; Allium cepa; Bolting; Growth vigor; Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana