Diversification of three APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like genes in wheat

Mol Genet Genomics. 2012 Apr;287(4):283-94. doi: 10.1007/s00438-012-0679-7.

Abstract

The genomes of grass family species have three paralogs of APETALA1/FRUITFULL (AP1/FUL)-like genes (FUL1, FUL2 and FUL3) that are derived from the FUL lineage. In this study, we focus on the different roles of the wheat AP1/FUL-like genes, WFUL1 (identical to VRN1), WFUL2 and WFUL3, during the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. Sequence analysis indicated that there was a high level of variability in the amino acid sequence of the C-domain among three WFUL genes. Expression analyses using the spring wheat cultivar Chinese Spring indicated that WFUL1/VRN1 was expressed in leaves as well as spike primordia of non-vernalized plants at the vegetative stage just before phase transition, while WFUL2 and WFUL3 were not expressed in leaves. This result indicates that WFUL1/VRN1 performs a distinct role in leaves before phase transition. In young spikes, WFUL1/VRN1 and WFUL3 were expressed in all developing Xoral organs, whereas WFUL2 expression was restricted in the Xoral organs to the lemma and palea. Furthermore, yeast two-hybrid and three-hybrid analyses revealed that WFUL2, but not WFUL1/VRN1 or WFUL3, interacted with class B and class E proteins. These results suggest that WFUL2 of wheat has class A functions in specifying the identities of Xoral meristems and outer Xoral organs (lemma and palea) through collaboration with class B and class E genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Flowers / genetics
  • Flowers / metabolism
  • MADS Domain Proteins / genetics*
  • Meristem / genetics
  • Meristem / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Triticum / genetics*

Substances

  • MADS Domain Proteins
  • Plant Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB007504
  • GENBANK/AF035378
  • GENBANK/AF035379
  • GENBANK/AF058697
  • GENBANK/AF058698
  • GENBANK/AF091458
  • GENBANK/AJ249143
  • GENBANK/AJ249144
  • GENBANK/AJ249146
  • GENBANK/AJ430641
  • GENBANK/AM502870
  • GENBANK/AM502871
  • GENBANK/DQ792965
  • GENBANK/DQ792967
  • GENBANK/L46400