Flower development is the core of higher-plant ontogenesis and is controlled by complex gene regulatory networks. Cys₂/His₂ zinc-finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) constitute one of the largest transcription factor families and are highly involved in transcriptional regulation of flowering induction, floral organ morphogenesis, and pollen and pistil maturation. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism of C2H2-ZFPs has been gradually revealed only in recent years. During flowering induction, C2H2-ZFPs can modify the chromatin of FLOWERING LOCUS C, thereby providing additional insights into the quantification of transcriptional regulation caused by chromatin regulation. C2H2-ZFPs are involved in cell division and proliferation in floral organ development and are associated with hormonal regulation, thereby revealing how a flower is partitioned into four developmentally distinct whorls. The studies reviewed in this work integrate the information from the endogenous, hormonal, and environmental regulation of flower development. The structure of C2H2-ZFPs determines their function as transcriptional regulators. The findings indicate that C2H2-ZFPs play a crucial role in flower development. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the structure, expression, and function of C2H2-ZFPs and discuss their molecular mechanism in flower development.
Keywords: Cys2/His2 zinc-finger protein; floral organ morphogenesis; flowering induction; molecular mechanism; transcriptional regulation.