Mechanisms of Age-Dependent Response to Winter Temperature in Perennial Flowering of Arabis alpina

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 340; no. 6136; pp. 1094 - 1097
• Main Authors: Bergonzi, Sara, Albani, Maria C., van Themaat, Emiel Ver Loren, Nordström, Karl J. V., Wang, Renhou, Schneeberger, Korbinian, Moerland, Perry D., Coupland, George
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 31.05.2013; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Age; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Arabis - genetics; Arabis - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cold Temperature; Control; Economic plant physiology; Exposure; Flowering; Flowering, floral biology, reproduction patterns; Flowers; Flowers & plants; Flowers - genetics; Flowers - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes; Genetic mutation; Growth and development; Messenger RNA; MicroRNAs - metabolism; Molecular Sequence Data; Pathways; Perennials; Phylogeny; Plant cells; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants; Plants (organisms); Seasons; Temperature effects; Time Factors; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - classification; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Vernalization; Winter; Flower; Cold; Micro RNA; Perennial plant; Temperature effect; Environmental factor; Vegetative state; Promoter; Gene silencing; Winter; Cruciferae; Dicotyledones; Vernalization; Angiospermae; Flowering; Spermatophyta; Developmental stage; Experimental plant; Transcription factor; Age
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1234116

Perennial plants live for more than 1 year and flower only after an extended vegetative phase. We used Arabis alpina, a perennial relative of annual Arabidopsis thaliana, to study how increasing age and exposure to winter cold (vernalization) coordinate to establish competence to flower. We show that the APETALA2 transcription factor, a target of microRNA miR172, prevents flowering before vernalization. Additionally, miR156 levels decline as A alpina ages, causing increased production of SPL (SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN LIKE) transcription factors and ensuring that flowering occurs in response to cold. The age at which plants respond to vernalization can be altered by manipulating miR156 levels. Although miR156 and miR172 levels are uncoupled in A. alpina, miR156 abundance represents the timer controlling age-dependent flowering responses to cold.