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The A quilegia FRUITFULL‐like genes play key roles in leaf morphogenesis and inflorescence development
Author(s) -
PabónMora Natalia,
Sharma Bharti,
Holappa Lynn D.,
Kramer Elena M.,
Litt Amy
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1111/tpj.12113
Subject(s) - biology , sepal , gene duplication , meristem , mads box , inflorescence , petal , genetics , gene , neofunctionalization , gene family , functional divergence , botany , arabidopsis , evolutionary biology , genome , mutant , stamen , pollen
Summary The APETALA1 / FRUITFULL ( AP1 / FUL ) MADS box transcription factors are best known for the role of AP 1 in A rabidopsis sepal and petal identity, the canonical A function of the ABC model of flower development. However, this gene lineage underwent multiple duplication events during angiosperm evolution, providing different taxa with unique gene complements. One such duplication correlates with the origin of the core eudicots, and produced the eu AP 1 and eu FUL clades. Together, eu AP 1 and eu FUL genes function in proper floral meristem identity and repression of axillary meristem growth. Independently, euAP1 genes function in floral meristem and sepal identity, whereas eu FUL genes control phase transition, cauline leaf growth and fruit development. To investigate the impact of the core eudicot duplication on the functional diversification of this gene lineage, we studied the role of pre‐duplication FUL ‐like genes in columbine ( A quilegia coerulea ). Our results show that AqcFL1 genes are broadly expressed in vegetative and reproductive meristems, leaves and flowers. Virus‐induced gene silencing of the loci results in plants with increased branching, shorter inflorescences with fewer flowers, and dramatic changes in leaf shape and complexity. However, aqcfl1 plants have normal flowers and fruits. Our results show that, in contrast to characterized AP 1 / FUL genes, the Aqc FL 1 loci are either genetically redundant or have been decoupled from the floral genetic program, and play a major role in leaf morphogenesis. We analyze the results in the context of the core eudicot duplication, and discuss the implications of our findings in terms of the genetic regulation of leaf morphogenesis in Aquilegia and other flowering plants.