MADS-domain transcription factors and the floral quartet model of flower development: linking plant development and evolution.
The floral quartet model of floral organ specification poses that different tetramers of MIKC-type MADS-domain transcription factors control gene expression and hence the identity of floral organs during development. Here, we provide a brief history of the floral quartet model and review several lines of recent evidence that support the model. We also describe how the model has been used in contemporary developmental and evolutionary biology to shed light on enigmatic topics such as the origin of land and flowering plants. Finally, we suggest a novel hypothesis describing how floral quartet-like complexes may interact with chromatin during target gene activation and repression.
Department of Genetics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany guenter.theissen@uni-jena.de.
Günter
0000-0003-4854-8692
G
Theißen
School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Rainer
R
Melzer
Department of Genetics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Florian
F
Rümpler
D005075:Biological Evolution; D035264:Flowers / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D063245:Plant Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
ABC model; Floral homeotic gene; MIKC-type MADS-domain transcription factor; Nucleosome; Pioneer transcription factor; Plant evolution