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Ethylene biosynthetic genes are differentially expressed during carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) flower senescence

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Abstract

Ethylene production and expression patterns of an 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase (CARAO1) and of two ACC synthase (EC 4.4.1.14) genes (CARACC3 and CARAS1) were studied in floral organs of cut carnation flowers (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) cv. White Sim. During the vase life and after treatment of fresh flowers with ethylene, production of ethylene and expression of ethylene biosynthetic genes first started in the ovary followed by the styles and the petals. ACC oxidase was expressed in all the floral organs whereas, during the vase life, tissue-specific expression of the two ACC synthase genes was observed. After treatment with a high ethylene concentration, tissue specificity of the two ACC synthase genes was lost and only a temporal difference in expression remained. In styles, poor correlation between ethylene production and ACC synthase (CARAS1) gene expression was observed suggesting that either activity is regulated at the translational level or that the CARAS1 gene product requires an additional factor for activity.

Isolated petals showed no increase in ethylene production and expression of ethylene biosynthetic genes when excised from the flower before the increase in petal ethylene production (before day 7); showed rapid cessation of ethylene production and gene expression when excised during the early phase of petal ethylene production (day 7) and showed a pattern of ethylene production and gene expression similar to the pattern observed in the attached petals when isolated at day 8. The interorgan regulation of gene expression and ethylene as a signal molecule in flower senescence are discussed.

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Author notes

  1. Arjen ten Have

    Present address: Department of Phytopathology, Wageningen Agricultural University, P.O. Box 8025, 6700 EE, Wageningen, Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agrotechnological Research Institute (ATO-DLO), P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, Netherlands

    Arjen ten Have & Ernst J. Woltering

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  1. Arjen ten Have
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  2. Ernst J. Woltering
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ten Have, A., Woltering, E.J. Ethylene biosynthetic genes are differentially expressed during carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) flower senescence. Plant Mol Biol 34, 89–97 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005894703444

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