Abstract
Forest trees display a perennial growth behavior characterized by a multiple-year delay in flowering and, in temperate regions, an annual cycling between growth and dormancy. We show here that the CO/FT regulatory module, which controls flowering time in response to variations in daylength in annual plants, controls flowering in aspen trees. Unexpectedly, however, it also controls the short-day-induced growth cessation and bud set occurring in the fall. This regulatory mechanism can explain the ecogenetic variation in a highly adaptive trait: the critical daylength for growth cessation displayed by aspen trees sampled across a latitudinal gradient spanning northern Europe.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Adaptation, Physiological / genetics
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Arabidopsis / genetics
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Arabidopsis / growth & development
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Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
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Arabidopsis Proteins / physiology
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
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Flowers / genetics*
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Flowers / growth & development
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Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
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Genes, Plant
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Germany
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Photoperiod*
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Phytochrome A / genetics
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Phytochrome A / physiology
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Plant Proteins / genetics*
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Plant Proteins / physiology
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Plants, Genetically Modified
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Populus / genetics*
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Populus / growth & development
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Seasons*
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Sweden
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Transcription Factors / genetics
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Transcription Factors / physiology
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Trees / genetics*
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Trees / growth & development
Substances
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Arabidopsis Proteins
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CONSTANS protein, Arabidopsis
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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FT protein, Arabidopsis
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Phytochrome A
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Plant Proteins
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Transcription Factors