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Updated: Sep 4, 2025

Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species
Published on: April 17, 2009
Involvement of PtCOL5-PtNF-YC4 in reproductive cone development and gibberellin signaling in Chinese pine
Hongmei Liu1, Yingtian Guo1, Huili Wang1
1National Engineering Laboratory of Tree Breeding, Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants of Ministry of Education, The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
It is well documented that the CO/NF-YB/NF-YC trimer (NF-Y-CO) binds and regulates the FT promoter. However, the FT/TFL1-like (FLOWERING LOCUS T/TERMINALFLOWER1-like) genes in gymnosperms are all flowering suppressors, and the regulation model of NF-Y in gymnosperms is different from that in angiosperms. Here, using Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis), we identified a CONSTANS-LIKE gene, PtCOL5, the expression of which was strongly induced during cones development and it functioned as a repressor of flowering. PtNF-YC4, which interacted with PtCOL5, was highly correlated with PtCOL5 during growth and development, has been demonstrated. Moreover, PtNF-YC4 and PtCOL5 can bind to PtTFL2 promoter, and their interaction can enhance PtTFL2 expression. Interestingly, we found PtNF-YC4 and PtCOL5 were involved in gibberellin signaling and their interaction was inhibited by PtDELLA protein, thus affecting PtTFL2 expression. Collectively, PtCOL5-PtNF-YC4 was involved in reproductive cone development and gibberellin signaling in Chinese pine. Our findings uncovered reproductive cone development and signal transduction mechanism of COL-NF-Y in gymnosperms.

