Cytokinin promotes flowering of Arabidopsis via transcriptional activation of the FT paralogue TSF

[en] Cytokinins are involved in many aspects of plant growth and development and physiological evidence also indicates that they have a role in floral transition. In order to integrate these phytohormones into the current knowledge of genetically defined molecular pathways to flowering, we performed exogenous treatments of adult wild-type and mutant Arabidopsis plants and analysed the expression of candidate genes. We used a hydroponic system that enables synchronous growth and flowering of Arabidopsis and allows precise application of chemicals to the roots for defined periods of time. We show that application of N6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) promotes flowering of plants grown in non-inductive short days. The response to cytokinin treatment does not require FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) but activates its paralogue TWIN SISTER OF FT (TSF), as well as FD, which encodes a partner protein of TSF, and the downstream gene SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1). Treatment of selected mutants confirmed that TSF and SOC1 are necessary for the flowering response to BAP while the activation cascade might partially act independently of FD. These experiments provide a mechanistic basis for the role of cytokinins in flowering and demonstrate that the redundant genes FT and TSF are differently regulated by distinct floral inducing signals.

Disciplines :

Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...)

Author, co-author :

D'Aloia, Maria ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale

Bonhomme, Delphine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Doct. sc. (bioch., biol. mol.&cell., bioinf.&mod.-Bologne)

Bouché, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale

Tamseddak, Karim ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Doct. sc. (bioch., biol. mol.&cell., bioinf.&mod.-Bologne)

Ormenese, Sandra ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA-Management : Plate-forme imagerie

Torti, Stéfano; Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Köln, Germany

Coupland, George; Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Köln, Germany

Périlleux, Claire ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie végétale

Language :

English

Title :

Cytokinin promotes flowering of Arabidopsis via transcriptional activation of the FT paralogue TSF

Publication date :

2011

Journal title :

Plant Journal

ISSN :

0960-7412

eISSN :

1365-313X

Publisher :

Blackwell, Oxford, United Kingdom

Volume :

Pages :

972-979

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

BELSPO - SPP Politique scientifique - Service Public Fédéral de Programmation Politique scientifique

Available on ORBi :

since 05 January 2011

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