Experiencing winter for spring flowering: A molecular epigenetic perspective on vernalization
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Published on: March 20, 2019
1National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics & Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China.
Abstract:
Many over-wintering plants, through vernalization, overcome a block to flowering and thus acquire competence to flower in the following spring after experiencing prolonged cold exposure or winter cold. The vernalization pathways in different angiosperm lineages appear to have convergently evolved to adapt to temperate climates. Molecular and epigenetic mechanisms for vernalization regulation have been well studied in the crucifer model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we review recent progresses on the vernalization pathway in Arabidopsis. In addition, we summarize current molecular and genetic understandings of vernalization regulation in temperate grasses including wheat and Brachypodium, two monocots from Pooideae, followed by a brief discussion on divergence of the vernalization pathways between Brassicaceae and Pooideae.
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