Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
11:33
Investigating Interactions Between Histone Modifying Enzymes and Transcription Factors in vivo by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
Published on: October 14, 2022
Florigen in rice: complex gene network for florigen transcription, florigen activation complex, and multiple
Hiroyuki Tsuji1, Ken-ichiro Taoka, Ko Shimamoto
1Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
Current Opinion in Plant Biology
|March 5, 2013
Summary
Understanding rice flowering time is key to grain production. This review details the molecular and genetic mechanisms, including the florigen signal, that control flowering for successful crop yields.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Genetics
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Flowering time regulation is crucial for rice (Oryza sativa) grain production.
- Domestication and breeding have significantly altered the genetic networks controlling flowering.
- Molecular genomic approaches have elucidated key genetic targets and mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms of flowering time control in rice.
- To detail the molecular nature and function of the systemic floral signal, florigen.
- To explain how florigen expression is controlled and regulatory pathways are diversified.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of molecular and genomic studies on rice flowering time.
- Analysis of genetic networks and regulatory pathways.
- Synthesis of current knowledge on florigen signaling and control.
Main Results:
- Identification of the molecular basis of florigen and its function in flowering.
- Elucidation of mechanisms controlling florigen expression.
- Understanding of diversified regulatory pathways influencing flowering time.
Conclusions:
- Detailed molecular and genetic mechanisms governing rice flowering time are increasingly understood.
- This knowledge is vital for improving rice grain production through targeted breeding.
- Advances in genomics provide powerful tools for dissecting complex plant developmental processes.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
01:23Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches
Riboswitches are RNA elements that regulate gene expression by altering their secondary structures in response to specific effector molecules. These elements, located in the leader regions of certain mRNAs, act as transcriptional regulators by toggling between alternative conformations to control downstream gene expression. Riboswitch-mediated regulation is a precise mechanism for modulating biosynthetic pathways, as exemplified by the riboflavin biosynthesis pathway in Bacillus...
02:19Morphogenesis
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.
02:33Combinatorial Gene Control
Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
01:17Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Sporulation is a complex developmental process that allows certain Gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium species, to survive extreme environmental conditions. This process is tightly regulated by a series of signaling cascades and transcriptional controls, ensuring the formation of a highly resistant endospore.Sporulation is triggered by unfavorable conditions, such as nutrient depletion, and is governed by a phosphorelay system. One of the sensor kinases, such as...
01:28Global Regulatory Systems
Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...