Expression profiles of five FT-like genes and functional analysis of PhFT-1 in a Phalaenopsis hybrid

• Published in: Electronic Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 31; no. C; pp. 75 - 83
• Main Authors: Zhou, Shushan, Jiang, Li, Guan, Shuangxue, Gao, Yongxia, Gao, Qinghua, Wang, Guangdong, Duan, Ke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier España, S.L.U 01.01.2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Flowering; FLOWERING LOCUS T; Flowering pathways; Flowering regulation; Flowering time; Orchidaceae; Ornamental flowers; Positive regulator; Flowering pathways; Ornamental flowers; Orchidaceae; Flowering; Positive regulator; FLOWERING LOCUS T; Flowering time; Flowering regulation
• ISSN: 0717-3458; 0717-3458
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejbt.2017.11.003

Phalaenopsis is an important ornamental flowering plant that belongs to the Orchidaceae family and is cultivated worldwide. Phalaenopsis has a long juvenile phase; therefore, it is important to understand the genetic elements regulating the transition from vegetative phase to reproductive phase. In this study, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) homologs in Phalaenopsis were cloned, and their effects on flowering were analyzed. A total of five FT-like genes were identified in Phalaenopsis. Phylogenetic and expression analyses of these five FT-like genes indicated that some of these genes might participate in the regulation of flowering. A novel FT-like gene, PhFT-1, distantly related to previously reported FT genes in Arabidopsis and other dicot crops, was also found to be a positive regulator of flowering as heterologous expression of PhFT-1 in Arabidopsis causes an early flowering phenotype. Five FT homologous genes from Phalaenopsis orchid were identified, and PhFT-1 positively regulates flowering.