Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2025

Optical Clearing of Plant Tissues for Fluorescence Imaging
Published on: January 5, 2022
Thinking outside the F-box: how UFO controls angiosperm development
Philippe Rieu1, Moïra Arnoux-Courseaux1, Gabrielle Tichtinsky1
1Laboratoire Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-DBSCI-LPCV, 17 ave des martyrs, F-38054, Grenoble, France.
The UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) protein acts as a key cofactor in flower development, working with the LEAFY transcription factor. This interaction redirects LEAFY to new DNA targets, influencing floral gene regulation across angiosperms.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Genetics
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Flower and inflorescence development is crucial for angiosperm reproduction.
- LEAFY transcription factor and UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) protein are key regulators of floral development.
- UFO's precise role has been a subject of ongoing research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diverse roles of UFO in flower development across various angiosperm species.
- To integrate recent findings on UFO's function as a transcriptional cofactor.
- To identify critical unanswered questions in the field.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of genetic studies on floral development.
- Analysis of UFO's interaction with the LEAFY transcription factor.
- Comparative analysis of UFO function across different plant species.
Main Results:
- UFO functions as a transcriptional cofactor, modulating LEAFY's activity.
- UFO redirects LEAFY to specific cis-regulatory elements, influencing gene expression.
- Evidence suggests conserved and divergent roles of UFO in different angiosperms.
Conclusions:
- UFO plays a significant role in floral gene regulation by partnering with LEAFY.
- Understanding UFO-LEAFY interactions provides insights into the evolution of flower development.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate UFO's mechanisms and regulatory networks.
Related Concept Videos
Morphogenesis
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Pollination and Flower Structure
Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
C4 Pathway and CAM
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...

