title: Characterization and Functional Analysis of Five MADS-Box B Class Genes Related to Floral Organ Identification in Tagetes erecta.
abstract: According to the floral organ development ABC model, B class genes specify petal and stamen identification. In order to study the function of B class genes in flower development of Tagetes erecta, five MADS-box B class genes were identified and their expression and putative functions were studied. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses indicated that there were one PI-like gene-TePI, two euAP3-like genes-TeAP3-1 and TeAP3-2, and two TM6-like genes-TeTM6-1 and TeTM6-2 in T. erecta. Strong expression levels of these genes were detected in stamens of the disk florets, but little or no expression was detected in bracts, receptacles or vegetative organs. Yeast hybrid experiments of the B class proteins showed that TePI protein could form a homodimer and heterodimers with all the other four B class proteins TeAP3-1, TeAP3-2, TeTM6-1 and TeTM6-2. No homodimer or interaction was observed between the euAP3 and TM6 clade members. Over-expression of five B class genes of T. erecta in Nicotiana rotundifolia showed that only the transgenic plants of 35S::TePI showed altered floral morphology compared with the non-transgenic line. This study could contribute to the understanding of the function of B class genes in flower development of T. erecta, and provide a theoretical basis for further research to change floral organ structures and create new materials for plant breeding.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vegetable Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Yalin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, Wimauma, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Weining
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3502-5166
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Manzhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019281:Dimerization; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D031686:Tagetes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D018749:RNA, Plant