Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
07:13
Sampling for Estimating Frankliniella Species Flower Thrips and Orius Species Predators in Field Experiments
Published on: July 17, 2019
9.7K
Cross-species complementation reveals conserved functions for EARLY FLOWERING 3 between monocots and dicots
He Huang1, Malia A Gehan1, Sarah E Huss2
1Donald Danforth Plant Science Center St. Louis MO USA.
Plant Direct
|June 28, 2019
Summary
The EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) gene
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Circadian biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Circadian clock factors regulate plant growth and development.
- The molecular function of clock gene products outside of Arabidopsis thaliana is largely unknown.
- EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) is a key circadian clock gene in Arabidopsis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the function of Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) and Setaria viridis (Setaria) EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) orthologs.
- To investigate the molecular and physiological roles of ELF3 orthologs in monocots.
Main Methods:
- Circadian RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and the Diel Explorer tool were used to analyze Setaria gene expression.
- Functional complementation assays in an Arabidopsis elf3 mutant were performed.
- Affinity purification and mass spectrometry were employed to study protein complex interactions.
Main Results:
- Both Brachypodium and Setaria ELF3 orthologs (BdELF3 and SvELF3) rescued Arabidopsis elf3 mutant phenotypes.
- Monocot ELF3 orthologs restored hypocotyl elongation, flowering time, and circadian rhythm.
- BdELF3 and SvELF3 were found to integrate into similar protein complexes in vivo as Arabidopsis ELF3 (AtELF3).
Conclusions:
- Despite significant evolutionary divergence, Brachypodium and Setaria ELF3 orthologs retain conserved molecular and physiological functions.
- These findings highlight the conserved nature of ELF3 function across diverse plant species.
- The study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying circadian clock regulation in grasses.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:40Pollination and Flower Structure
75.3K
Flowers are the reproductive, seed-producing structures of angiosperms. Typically, flowers consist of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. Sepals and petals are the vegetative flower organs. Stamens and carpels are the reproductive organs.
75.3K
02:51Multi-species Conserved Sequences
4.6K
Next-generation sequencing technologies have created large genomic databases of a variety of animals and plants. Ever since the human genome project was completed, scientists studied the genome of primates, mammals, and other phylogenetically distant living beings. Such large-scale studies have provided new insights into the evolutionary relationship between organisms.
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved...
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved...
4.6K
01:57What is Conservation Biology?
24.0K
Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the human population. Humans require properly functioning ecosystems to maintain our supply of natural resources, including food, medicines, and building materials.
24.0K
02:33Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte
30.9K
Seed structures are composed of a protective seed coat surrounding a plant embryo, and a food store for the developing embryo. The embryo contains the precursor tissues for leaves, stem, and roots. The endosperm and cotyledons—seed leaves—act as the food reserves for the growing embryo.
30.9K
01:49Conserved Binding Sites
5.0K
Many proteins’ biological role depends on their interactions with their ligands, small molecules that bind to specific locations on the protein known as ligand-binding sites. Ligand-binding sites are often conserved among homologous proteins as these sites are critical for protein function.
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
5.0K
02:04Conservation of Small Populations
16.7K
Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less...
16.7K