An ethylene‐responsive transcription factor and a flowering locus KH domain homologue jointly modulate photoperiodic flowering in chrysanthemum

Abstract

The timely transition from vegetative to reproductive development is coordinated through the quantitative regulation of floral pathway genes in response to physiological and environmental cues. The function of ethylene-responsive elementbinding protein (ERF) transcription factors in the regulation of flowering in chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) is not well understood. Here, chrysanthemum overexpressing CmERF110 flowered earlier than the wild-type plants, while those in which CmERF110 was suppressed flowered later. RNA-seq results revealed that several genes involved in the circadian rhythm were transcribed differently in CmERF110 transgenic plants from that of the wild-type plants. The rhythm peak of the circadian clock genes in transgenic plants was delayed. Yeast two-hybrid screening of CmERF110 interactors identified a chrysanthemum FLOWERING LOCUS KH DOMAIN (FLK) homologue CmFLK, which was further confirmed with both in vitro and in vivo assays. KEGG pathway enrichment also revealed that CmFLK is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythm-related genes.CmFLK transgenic plants showed a change in flowering time and delayed rhythm peak of the circadian rhythm genes. Taken together, the present data not only suggest that CmERF110 interacts with CmFLK to promote floral transition by tuning the circadian clock, but also provides evidence for the evolutionary conservation of the components in the autonomous pathway in chrysanthemum.

Integrated analysis of miRNAome transcriptome and degradome reveals miRNA-target modules governing floral florescence development and senescence across early- and late-flowering genotypes in tree peony

“…It has also been shown that expression of chrysanthemum transcription factor ERF can influence flowering time in Arabidopsis ( Xing et al., 2019 ). Additionally, it was shown that CmERF110 interacts with CmFLK to promote flowering by regulating the circadian clock ( Huang et al., 2022 ).…”

The TIFY family protein CmJAZ1‐like negatively regulates petal size via interaction with the bHLH transcription factor CmBPE2 in Chrysanthemum morifolium

“…For CmBPE2 silencing in the CmJAZ1‐like ‐OE backgrounds, a virus‐based miRNA expression system was employed as described previously (Huang et al., 2022; Tang et al., 2010; Wang et al., 2022; Xu et al., 2020). amiR‐ CmBPE2 was introduced into CaLCuV vector using Xba I and Kpn I restriction enzymes, and then the generated plasmid was transformed into Agrobacterium strain GV3101 .…”

“…Following by the method described by Huang et al. (2022), we sampled the new third leaf for detecting the expression of CmBPE2 with the CmBPE2‐RT‐F/R primers (Table S3). Positive lines were screened out to observe the phenotype at the FB stage.…”

“…After being maintained at 8°C in the dark for 2 days, the infected plants transplanted into pots containing a vermiculite:nutrient soil (1:1, v/v) mixture and grow under long-day conditions for 3 weeks, and then moved to short days for cultivation. Following by the method described by Huang et al (2022), we sampled the new third leaf for detecting the expression of CmBPE2 with the CmBPE2-RT-F/R primers (Table S3). Positive lines were screened out to observe the phenotype at the FB stage.…”

An ethylene‐responsive transcription factor and a B‐box protein coordinate vegetative growth and photoperiodic flowering in chrysanthemum

“…The overexpression of SlERF36 in transgenic tobacco and Arabidopsis has been reported to promote early flowering, which may suggest functional conservation in regulating floral induction (Upadhyay et al, 2014). In chrysanthemum, CmERF110 interacts with Flowering Locus KH Domain ( CmFLK ) to synergistically regulate the circadian clock of chrysanthemum, which accelerates flowering transition (Huang et al, 2022). However, only little is known about the function of the AP2/ERF family members in the transformation from the vegetative growth to the reproductive phase.…”