Overexpression of blueberryFLOWERING LOCUS Tis associated with changes in the expression of phytohormone-related genes in blueberry plants.
Flowering locus T(FT) is a primary integrator in the regulation of plant flowering. Overexpressing a blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosumL.)FTgene (VcFT) (hereinVcFT-OX) resulted in early flowering and dwarfing in 'Aurora' plants (herein 'VcFT-Aurora'). In this study, we found thatVcFT-OX reduced shoot regeneration from leaf explants. To investigate the potential roles of the phytohormone pathway genes associated withVcFT-OX, differentially expressed (DE) genes in leaf tissues of 'VcFT-Aurora' plants were annotated and analyzed using non-transgenic 'Aurora' plants as a control. ThreeDEfloral genes, including the blueberry SUPPRESSOR of Overexpression of constans 1 (VcSOC1) (gibberellin related), Abscisic acid responsive elements-binding factor 2 (VcABF2) and protein related to ABI3/VP1 (VcABI3/VP1) (ethylene-related), are present under both the phytohormone-responsive and the dwarfing-related Gene Ontology terms. The gene networks of theDEgenes overall showed the molecular basis of the multifunctional aspects ofVcFToverexpression beyond flowering promotion and suggested that phytohormone changes could be signaling molecules with important roles in the phenotypic changes driven byVcFT-OX.
Department of Horticulture, Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Key Laboratory for the Conservation and Utilization of Important Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China.
Xuan
X
Gao
Department of Horticulture, Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Aaron E
AE
Walworth
Department of Horticulture, Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Charity
C
Mackie
Department of Horticulture, Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Guo-Qing
GQ
Song