Open AccessEpigenetics of plant vernalization regulated by non-coding RNAs
Author(s) -
Shaofeng Zhang,
Xiaorong Li,
Chongyang Sun,
Yuqing He
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
yichuan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.125
H-Index - 16
ISSN - 0253-9772
DOI - 10.3724/sp.j.1005.2012.00829
Subject(s) - vernalization , leafy , biology , brassica , brassica rapa , botany , flowering locus c , epigenetics , locus (genetics) , gene , plant development , agronomy , mutant , photoperiodism , arabidopsis , genetics
Many higher plants must experience a period of winter cold to accomplish the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. This biological process is called vernalization. Some crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) produce seeds as edible organs, and therefore special measures of rotation and cultivation are necessary for plants to go through an early vernalization for flower differentiation and development, whereas the other crops such as Chinese cabbage (B rapa ssp. pekinenesis) and cabbage (Brassica napus L.) produce leafy heads as edible organs, and additional practice should be taken to avoid vernalization for a prolonged and fully vegetative growth. Before vernalization, flowering is repressed by the action of a gene called Flowering Locus C (FLC). This paper reviewed the function of non-coding RNAs and some proteins including VRN1, VRN2, and VIN3 in epigenetic regulation of FLC during vernalization.