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The low temperature response pathways for cold acclimation and vernalization are independent
Donna M Bond1, Elizabeth S Dennis, E Jean Finnegan
1CSIRO, Plant Industry, Canberra, Australia.
Plant, Cell & Environment
|June 3, 2011
Summary
Plants utilize distinct molecular pathways for cold acclimation and vernalization, the process promoting flowering after winter cold. Key cold acclimation regulators like ICE1 and HOS1, and abscisic acid, do not influence VIN3 gene induction for vernalization.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Molecular genetics
- Environmental stress response
Background:
- Vernalization promotes flowering after winter cold exposure.
- Cold acclimation prepares plants for sub-zero temperatures.
- The VIN3 gene is an early indicator of vernalization, with its induction overlapping with cold acclimation gene induction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential common signaling elements between cold acclimation and vernalization pathways.
- To determine if known cold acclimation regulators influence VIN3 gene induction.
- To clarify the relationship between abscisic acid signaling and vernalization.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the role of cold acclimation signaling components (ICE1, HOS1) in VIN3 induction.
- Assessed the effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on VIN3 expression.
- Compared the temperature thresholds for cold acclimation and VIN3 induction.
Main Results:
- Signaling components essential for cold acclimation, including ICE1 and HOS1, do not regulate VIN3 induction.
- Abscisic acid (ABA) does not modulate VIN3 induction, confirming its lack of role in vernalization.
- VIN3 induction does not occur at 12°C, the temperature at which cold acclimation pathways are activated.
Conclusions:
- Cold acclimation and vernalization are regulated by separate and distinct signal transduction pathways.
- The molecular mechanisms governing plant responses to cold stress are specific to the physiological outcome (survival vs. flowering).
- This research differentiates the signaling cascades for two critical plant responses to cold temperatures.
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