A root chicory MADS-box sequence and the Arabidopsis flowering repressor FLC share common features that suggest conserved function in vernalization and devernalization responses
[en] Root chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) is a biennial crop, but is harvested for root inulin at the end of the first growing season before flowering. However, cold temperatures might vernalize seeds or plantlets, leading to incidental early flowering and hence understanding the molecular basis of vernalization is important. A MADS-box sequence was isolated by RT-PCR and named FLC-LIKE1 (CiFL1) because of its phylogenetic positioning within the same clade as the floral repressor Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS C (AtFLC). Moreover, overexpression of CiFL1 in Arabidopsis caused late flowering and prevented up-regulation of the AtFLC target FLOWERING LOCUS T gene by photoperiod, suggesting functional conservation between root chicory and Arabidopsis. Like AtFLC in Arabidopsis, CiFL1 was repressed during vernalization of seeds or plantlets of chicory, but repression of CiFL1 was unstable whether the post-vernalization temperature was favorable to flowering or whether it devernalized the plants. Instability of CiFL1 repression might be linked to bienniality of root chicory versus the annual life cycle of Arabidopsis. However, reactivation of AtFLC was also observed in Arabidopsis when a high temperature treatment was given straight after seed vernalization, erasing the promotive effect of cold on flowering. Cold-induced downregulation of a MADS-box floral repressor and its reactivation by high temperature thus appear as conserved features of the vernalization and devernalization responses in distant species.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Périlleux, Claire ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale
Pieltain, Alexandra ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale
Jacquemin, Guillaume; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL > Groupe de recherche en Physiologie végétale
Bouché, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale
Detry, Nathalie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale
D'Aloia, Maria ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale
Thiry, Laura
Aljochim, Pierre
Delansnay, Martin
Mathieu, Anne-Sophie; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL > Groupe de recherche en Physiologie végétale
Lutts, Stanley; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL > Groupe de recherche en Physiologie végétale
Tocquin, Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale
✱ These authors have contributed equally to this work.
Language :
English
Title :
A root chicory MADS-box sequence and the Arabidopsis flowering repressor FLC share common features that suggest conserved function in vernalization and devernalization responses
Service public de Wallonie : Direction générale opérationnelle de l'économie, de l'emploi et de la recherche - DG06 Chicoline, a division of Cosucra Groupe Warcoing
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