The SAP function in pistil development was proved by two allelic mutations in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp....

Pistil development is a complicated process in plants, and female sterile mutants are ideal material for screening and cloning pistil development-related genes. Using the female sterile mutant (fsm1), BraA04g009730.3C was previously predicted as a candidate mutant gene encoding the STERILE APETALA (SAP) transcriptional regulator. In the current study, a parallel female sterile mutant (fsm2) was derived from EMS mutagenesis of a Chinese cabbage DH line 'FT' seeds.

Both fsm2 and fsm1 mutant phenotypes exhibited pistil abortion and smaller floral organs. Genetic analysis indicated that the phenotype of mutant fsm2 was also controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. Allelism testing showed that the mutated fsm1 and fsm2 genes were allelic. A single-nucleotide mutation (G-to-A) in the first exon of BraA04g009730.3C caused a missense mutation from GAA (glutamic acid) to GGA (glycine) in mutant fsm2 plants. Both allelic mutations of BraA04g009730.3C in fsm1 and fsm2 conferred the similar pistil abortion phenotype, which verified the SAP function in pistil development. To probe the mechanism of SAP-induced pistil abortion, we compared the mutant fsm1 and wild-type 'FT' pistil transcriptomes. Among the 3855 differentially expressed genes obtained, 29 were related to ovule development and 16 were related to organ size.

Our study clarified the function of BraA04g009730.3C and revealed that it was responsible for ovule development and organ size. These results lay a foundation to elucidate the molecular mechanism of pistil development in Chinese cabbage.