Chlorate-induced molecular floral transition revealed by transcriptomes

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Molecular Biology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Off-season flowering in longan (Dimocarpus longan L.) is commercially valuable.
• Potassium chlorate (KClO3) effectively induces flowering, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the molecular mechanism of KClO3-induced flowering in longan.
• To identify key genes regulating floral transition in response to KClO3 treatment.

Main Methods:

• Comparative RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis between vegetative and KClO3-induced floral buds.
• Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis.
• Identification and analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to flowering.

Main Results:

• 18,649 DEGs were identified between control and treated samples.
• Enriched pathways include plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling, starch/sucrose metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.
• 29 flowering-related DEGs were identified, including APETALA1 (AP1), APETALA2 (AP2), AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 3 (ARF3), and SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE 8 (SPL8).
• Upregulation of AP2 and SPL genes suggests activation of age-related pathways influencing floral induction.

Conclusions:

• KClO3-induced floral transition in longan involves coordinated regulation of flowering-related genes.
• This research provides a valuable genetic resource for understanding and improving off-season flowering in tropical and subtropical fruit trees.