Floral meristem identity genes are expressed during tendril development in grapevine

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) Vol. 135; no. 3; pp. 1491 - 1501
• Main Authors: Calonje, M, Cubas, P, Martinez-Zapater, J.M, Carmona, M.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rockville, MD American Society of Plant Biologists 01.07.2004; American Society of Plant Physiologists
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Biological and medical sciences; Conserved Sequence; Development and Hormone Action; Developmental biology; Flowering; Flowers; Flowers - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - genetics; Genes; grapes; Growing seasons; homeodomain proteins; Inflorescences; MADS-box genes; Magnoliopsida - genetics; Magnoliopsida - growth & development; Meristem - genetics; Meristems; Molecular Sequence Data; nucleotide sequences; Phylogeny; Plant growth. Development of the storage organs; Plant physiology and development; plant proteins; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plants; Seeds; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Tendrils; Transcription, Genetic; Vegetative apparatus, growth and morphogenesis. Senescence; Vitaceae; Vitis; Vitis vinifera; Inflorescence; Tendrils; Gene expression; Vitis vinifera; Meristem; Gene; Vitidaceae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Above ground plant part; Spermatophyta; Developmental stage; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0032-0889; 1532-2548
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.104.040832

To study the early steps of flower initiation and development in grapevine (Vitis vinifera), we have isolated two MADS-box genes, VFUL-L and VAP1, the putative FUL-like and AP1 grapevine orthologs, and analyzed their expression patterns during vegetative and reproductive development. Both genes are expressed in lateral meristems that, in grapevine, can give rise to either inflorescences or tendrils. They are also coexpressed in inflorescence and flower meristems. During flower development, VFUL-L transcripts are restricted to the central part of young flower meristems and, later, to the prospective carpel-forming region, which is consistent with a role of this gene in floral transition and carpel and fruit development. Expression pattern of VAP1 suggests that it may play a role in flowering transition and flower development. However, its lack of expression in sepal primordia, does not support its role as an A-function gene in grapevine. Neither VFUL-L nor VAP1 expression was detected in vegetative organs such as leaves or roots. In contrast, they are expressed throughout tendril development. Transcription of both genes in tendrils of very young plants that have not undergone flowering transition indicates that this expression is independent of the flowering process. These unique expression patterns of genes typically involved in reproductive development have implications on our understanding of flower induction and initiation in grapevine, on the origin of grapevine tendrils and on the functional roles of AP1-and FUL-like genes in plant development. These results also provide molecular support to the hypothesis that Vitis tendrils are modified reproductive organs adapted to climb.