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BBX7 interacts with BBX8 to accelerate flowering in chrysanthemum
Yiwen Zhai1, Yuqing Zhu1, Qi Wang1
1National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Biology of Ornamental Plants in East China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Chrysanthemum BBX7 (CmBBX7) accelerates flowering by directly activating the CmFTL1 gene. This BBX7 protein interacts with BBX8, highlighting their crucial role in regulating chrysanthemum floral transition.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Molecular genetics
- Flowering regulation
Background:
- Quantitative control of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) is vital for floral transition.
- Flowering regulation mechanisms in day-neutral, summer-flowering chrysanthemum are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and identify the flowering function of the chrysanthemum BBX7 homolog, CmBBX7.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which CmBBX7 regulates flowering in chrysanthemum.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and expression analysis of CmBBX7.
- Generation of transgenic chrysanthemum lines (overexpression and repressor constructs).
- Yeast single hybridization, luciferase assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP).
Main Results:
- CmBBX7 expression exhibits a diurnal rhythm and is higher than CmBBX8.
- Overexpression of CmBBX7 accelerated flowering; repressor lines showed delayed flowering.
- CmBBX7 directly targets CmFTL1, and CmBBX7/CmBBX8 interaction positively regulates CmFTL1 expression via promoter binding.
Conclusions:
- CmBBX7 plays a key role in controlling chrysanthemum flowering.
- CmBBX7 acts as a cooperator in the BBX8-FT module to regulate the floral transition.
- The study clarifies a crucial aspect of flowering time control in chrysanthemum.
