Flowering time genes branching out

Abstract

Plants are sessile by nature, and as such they have evolved to sense changes in seasonality and their surrounding environment, and adapt to these changes. One prime example of this is the regulation of flowering time in angiosperms, which is precisely timed by the coordinative action of two proteins: FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), and TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1). Both regulators are members of the PHOSPHATIDILETHANOLAMINE BINDING PROTEIN (PEBP) family of proteins. These regulatory proteins do not interact with DNA themselves, but instead interact with transcriptional regulators, such as FLOWERING LOCUS D (FD). FT and TFL1 were initially identified as key regulators of flowering time acting through binding with FD, however PEBP family members are also involved in shaping plant architecture and development. Next to that, PEBPs can interact with TCP transcriptional regulators, such as TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1 (TB1), a well-known regulator of plant architecture and key domestication related gene in many crops. Here, we review the role of PEBP proteins in flowering time, plant architecture and development. As these are also key yield-related traits, we will highlight fascinating examples from the model plant Arabidopsis as well as important food and feed crops such as, rice, barley, wheat, tomato, and potato.