Articles
Identification and in silico expression analysis of FLOWERING LOCUS C-like (FLC-like) genes in Prunus species
Article number
1434_20
Pages
143 – 150
Language
English
Abstract
Rosaceae woody plants include important woody ornamentals such as Prunus mume and Yoshino cherry that are distributed in east Asia.
In temperate trees, spring phenology such as bud dormancy, chilling and heat requirement for bud break, and blooming is an important trait for adapting the global climate change, while the regulation mechanism remains largely unclear.
We previously identified a MADS-box transcription factor gene, FLOWERING LOCUS C-like (FLC-like), highly expressed in late dormancy period of apple dormant flower buds.
We also proposed a possible function of apple FLC-like in bud outgrowth regulation during late dormancy period.
In this study, we further identified and characterized FLC-like in Prunus species in Rosaceae, including Prunus mume and Yoshino cherry.
Using genomic synteny analysis, we identified that the FLC-like genes are highly conserved among Prunus species, existing as a single copy located on chromosome 3. Furthermore, to elucidate the expression characteristics of this gene, we conducted comprehensive in silico expression analysis using public RNA-seq data sets from P. mume and P. persica. PmFLC-like exhibited ubiquitous expression across various tissues, with the highest expression in floral buds, followed by stems and leaves.
Additionally, during dormancy progress, PmFLC-like and PpeFLC-like expression both increased with chilling accumulation during endodormancy, but decreased during ecodormancy, reaching its lowest expression level during flowering.
Similarly, cold treatment (0°C) of leaves led to an upregulation of PmFLC-like over time, peaking at 48 h after treatment.
These findings indicate that Prunus FLC-like expressions respond to cold temperature, which is similar expression behavior to Arabidopsis FLC and apple FLC-like.
In temperate trees, spring phenology such as bud dormancy, chilling and heat requirement for bud break, and blooming is an important trait for adapting the global climate change, while the regulation mechanism remains largely unclear.
We previously identified a MADS-box transcription factor gene, FLOWERING LOCUS C-like (FLC-like), highly expressed in late dormancy period of apple dormant flower buds.
We also proposed a possible function of apple FLC-like in bud outgrowth regulation during late dormancy period.
In this study, we further identified and characterized FLC-like in Prunus species in Rosaceae, including Prunus mume and Yoshino cherry.
Using genomic synteny analysis, we identified that the FLC-like genes are highly conserved among Prunus species, existing as a single copy located on chromosome 3. Furthermore, to elucidate the expression characteristics of this gene, we conducted comprehensive in silico expression analysis using public RNA-seq data sets from P. mume and P. persica. PmFLC-like exhibited ubiquitous expression across various tissues, with the highest expression in floral buds, followed by stems and leaves.
Additionally, during dormancy progress, PmFLC-like and PpeFLC-like expression both increased with chilling accumulation during endodormancy, but decreased during ecodormancy, reaching its lowest expression level during flowering.
Similarly, cold treatment (0°C) of leaves led to an upregulation of PmFLC-like over time, peaking at 48 h after treatment.
These findings indicate that Prunus FLC-like expressions respond to cold temperature, which is similar expression behavior to Arabidopsis FLC and apple FLC-like.
Authors
T. Hsiang, H. Yamane, R. Tao
Keywords
bud dormancy, synteny analysis, RNA-seq, chilling response
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