Abstract
Pigeon pea is an important protein-rich pulse crop. Identification of flowering master regulators in pigeon pea is highly imperative as indeterminacy and late flowering are impediments towards yield improvement. A genome-wide analysis was performed to explore flowering orthologous groups in pigeon pea. Among the 412 floral orthologs identified in pigeon pea, 148 genes belong to the meristem identity, photoperiod-responsive, and circadian clock–associated ortholog groups. Our comparative genomics study revealed purifying selection pressures (ka/ks) on floral orthologs, and duplication patterns and evolution through synteny with other model species. Phylogenetic analysis of floral genes substantiated a connection between pigeon pea plant architecture and flowering time as all the PEBP domain–containing genes belong to meristem identity floral networks of pigeon pea. Expression profiling of eleven major orthologs in contrasting determinate and indeterminate genotypes indicated that these orthologs might be involved in flowering regulation. Expression of floral inducer, FT, and floral repressor, TFL1, was non-comparable in indeterminate genotypes across all the developmental stages of pigeon pea. However, dynamic FT/TFL1 expression ratio detected in all tissues of both the genotypes suggested their role in floral transition. One TFL1 ortholog having high sequence conserveness across pigeon pea genotypes showed differential expression indicating genotype-dependent regulation of this ortholog. Presence of conserved 6mA-methylation patterns in light-responsive elements and in other cis-regulatory elements of FT and TFL1 across different plant genotypes indicated possible involvement of epigenetic regulation in flowering.
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Acknowledgements
We want to sincerely acknowledge ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, and ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, for providing funds, research amenities, and net-house facilities. SB acknowledges the DBT-JRF and IARI Graduate School for providing fellowship during Ph.D. program.
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SB conducted the major part of the experiments and drafting of the manuscript. RB did data analysis and construction of graphs. KP did expression profiling and analysis. VRK did the editing of the manuscript. SJ, JT, MS, PK, and MB executed sampling and research methodologies. JV and RS helped in finalizing results, and interpretation. DP conceptualized the research idea and provided guidance. RS and DP provided all the research facilities.
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Bhattacharjee, S., Bhowmick, R., Paul, K. et al. Identification, characterization, and comprehensive expression profiling of floral master regulators in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millspaugh). Funct Integr Genomics 23, 311 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10142-023-01236-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10142-023-01236-4