Conservation of B-class floral homeotic gene function between maize and Arabidopsis

The ABC model of flower development, established through studies in eudicot model species, proposes that petal and stamen identity are under the control of B-class genes. Analysis of B- and C-class genes in the grass species rice and maize suggests that the C- and B-class functions are conserved between monocots and eudicots, with B-class genes controlling stamen and lodicule development. We have undertaken a further analysis of the maize B-class genes Silky1, the putative AP3 ortholog, and Zmm16, a putative PI ortholog, in order to compare their function with the Arabidopsis B-class genes. Our results show that maize B-class proteins interact in vitro to bind DNA as an obligate heterodimer, as do Arabidopsis B-class proteins. The maize proteins also interact with the appropriate Arabidopsis B-class partner proteins to bind DNA. Furthermore, we show that maize B-class genes are capable of rescuing the corresponding Arabidopsis B-class mutant phenotypes. This demonstrates B-class activity of the maize gene Zmm16, and provides compelling evidence that B-class gene function is conserved between monocots and eudicots.

[1]  Kalika Prasad,et al.  Double-stranded RNA interference of a rice PI/GLO paralog, OsMADS2, uncovers its second-whorl-specific function in floral organ patterning. , 2003, Genetics.

[2]  Y. van de Peer,et al.  Structural diversification and neo-functionalization during floral MADS-box gene evolution by C-terminal frameshift mutations. , 2003, Nucleic acids research.

[3]  H. Saedler,et al.  Heterotopic expression of class B floral homeotic genes supports a modified ABC model for tulip (Tulipa gesneriana) , 2003, Plant Molecular Biology.

[4]  R. Lamb,et al.  Functional divergence within the APETALA3/PISTILLATA floral homeotic gene lineages , 2003, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[5]  Yoshio Sano,et al.  SUPERWOMAN1 and DROOPING LEAF genes control floral organ identity in rice , 2003, Development.

[6]  M. Zik,et al.  Global Identification of Target Genes Regulated by APETALA3 and PISTILLATA Floral Homeotic Gene Action Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.006353. , 2003, The Plant Cell Online.

[7]  Heinz Saedler,et al.  On the origin of class B floral homeotic genes: functional substitution and dominant inhibition in Arabidopsis by expression of an orthologue from the gymnosperm Gnetum. , 2002, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[8]  J. Sundström,et al.  Conifer reproductive development involves B-type MADS-box genes with distinct and different activities in male organ primordia. , 2002, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[9]  Akira Kanno,et al.  Evolution of class B floral homeotic proteins: obligate heterodimerization originated from homodimerization. , 2002, Molecular biology and evolution.

[10]  K. Shimamoto,et al.  Ectopic expression of OsMADS3, a rice ortholog of AGAMOUS, caused a homeotic transformation of lodicules to stamens in transgenic rice plants. , 2002, Plant & cell physiology.

[11]  Mark W. Chase,et al.  Evolution of the angiosperms: calibrating the family tree , 2001, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

[12]  Y. Wang,et al.  Ancestral MADS box genes in Sugi, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don (Taxodiaceae), homologous to the B function genes in angiosperms. , 2001, Plant & cell physiology.

[13]  H. Saedler,et al.  Characterization of three GLOBOSA-like MADS-box genes from maize: evidence for ancient paralogy in one class of floral homeotic B-function genes of grasses. , 2001, Gene.

[14]  E. Kramer,et al.  Evolution of the Petal and Stamen Developmental Programs: Evidence from Comparative Studies of the Lower Eudicots and Basal Angiosperms , 2000, International Journal of Plant Sciences.

[15]  G. Ditta,et al.  B and C floral organ identity functions require SEPALLATA MADS-box genes , 2000, Nature.

[16]  P. Ciceri,et al.  Molecular and genetic analyses of the silky1 gene reveal conservation in floral organ specification between eudicots and monocots. , 2000, Molecular cell.

[17]  E. Kellogg.  The Grasses: A Case Study in Macroevolution , 2000 .

[18]  C. James,et al.  The TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 Locus, Which Regulates Trichome Differentiation and Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis, Encodes a WD40 Repeat Protein , 1999, Plant Cell.

[19]  H. Saedler,et al.  MADS-box genes reveal that gnetophytes are more closely related to conifers than to flowering plants. , 1999, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[20]  E. Kramer,et al.  Evolution of genetic mechanisms controlling petal development , 1999, Nature.

[21]  G. An,et al.  Identification of a rice APETALA3 homologue by yeast two-hybrid screening , 1999, Plant Molecular Biology.

[22]  G. An,et al.  Identification of class B and class C floral organ identity genes from rice plants , 1998, Plant Molecular Biology.

[23]  S. Clough,et al.  Floral dip: a simplified method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana. , 1998, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[24]  R. Dorit,et al.  Molecular evolution of genes controlling petal and stamen development: duplication and divergence within the APETALA3 and PISTILLATA MADS-box gene lineages. , 1998, Genetics.

[25]  J Chory,et al.  dCAPS, a simple technique for the genetic analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms: experimental applications in Arabidopsis thaliana genetics. , 1998, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[26]  E. Meyerowitz,et al.  MADS domain proteins in plant development. , 1997, Biological chemistry.

[27]  S. Briggs,et al.  Diversification of C-Function Activity in Maize Flower Development , 1996, Science.

[28]  V. Irish,et al.  Nuclear localization of the Arabidopsis APETALA3 and PISTILLATA homeotic gene products depends on their simultaneous expression. , 1996, Genes & development.

[29]  E. Meyerowitz,et al.  Dimerization specificity of Arabidopsis MADS domain homeotic proteins APETALA1, APETALA3, PISTILLATA, and AGAMOUS. , 1996, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[30]  M. Mandel,et al.  A characterization of the MADS-box gene family in maize. , 1995, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[31]  E. Koetje,et al.  The petunia MADS box gene FBP11 determines ovule identity. , 1995, The Plant cell.

[32]  V. Irish,et al.  Conservation of floral homeotic gene function between Arabidopsis and antirrhinum. , 1995, The Plant cell.

[33]  A. V. Dijken,et al.  A novel class of MADS box genes is involved in ovule development in petunia. , 1995, The Plant cell.

[34]  G. An,et al.  Characterization of two rice MADS box genes homologous to GLOBOSA , 1995 .

[35]  S. Rounsley,et al.  Temporal relationship between the transcription of two Arabidopsis MADS box genes and the floral organ identity genes. , 1995, The Plant cell.

[36]  P. Maliga,et al.  Expression of a chimeric uidA gene indicates that polycistronic mRNAs are efficiently translated in tobacco plastids. , 1995, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[37]  Elliot M. Meyerowitz,et al.  The ABCs of floral homeotic genes , 1994, Cell.

[38]  E. Meyerowitz,et al.  Function and regulation of the Arabidopsis floral homeotic gene PISTILLATA. , 1994, Genes & development.

[39]  E. Meyerowitz,et al.  Arabidopsis homeotic gene APETALA3 ectopic expression: Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation determine floral organ identity , 1994, Cell.

[40]  Ronald W. Davis,et al.  Arabidopsis and Nicotiana anthocyanin production activated by maize regulators R and C1. , 1992, Science.

[41]  H. Sommer,et al.  GLOBOSA: a homeotic gene which interacts with DEFICIENS in the control of Antirrhinum floral organogenesis. , 1992, The EMBO journal.

[42]  Elliot M. Meyerowitz,et al.  The homeotic gene APETALA3 of Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a MADS box and is expressed in petals and stamens , 1992, Cell.

[43]  H. Sommer,et al.  Characterization of the Antirrhinum floral homeotic MADS‐box gene deficiens: evidence for DNA binding and autoregulation of its persistent expression throughout flower development. , 1992, The EMBO journal.

[44]  E. Coen,et al.  The war of the whorls: genetic interactions controlling flower development , 1991, Nature.

[45]  H. Sommer,et al.  Deficiens, a homeotic gene involved in the control of flower morphogenesis in Antirrhinum majus: the protein shows homology to transcription factors. , 1990, The EMBO journal.

[46]  B. Burr,et al.  Gene mapping with recombinant inbreds in maize. , 1988, Genetics.

[47]  E. Kellogg,et al.  Phylogenetic structure in the grass family (Poaceae): evidence from the nuclear gene phytochrome B. , 2000, American journal of botany.

[48]  G. Theißen,et al.  MADS-box genes active in developing pollen cones of Norway spruce (Picea abies) are homologous to the B-class floral homeotic genes in angiosperms. , 1999, Developmental genetics.

[49]  G. Theißen,et al.  A DEF/GLO-like MADS-box gene from a gymnosperm: Pinus radiata contains an ortholog of angiosperm B class floral homeotic genes. , 1999, Developmental genetics.

[50]  E. Meyerowitz,et al.  The Arabidopsis homeotic genes APETALA3 and PISTILLATA are sufficient to provide the B class organ identity function. , 1996, Development.

[51]  V. M. Page.  MORPHOLOGY OF THE SPIKELET OF STREPTOCHAETA , 1951 .

[52]  PISTILLATA.Function and regulation of the Arabidopsis floral homeotic gene , 2022 .