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Constitutive expression of the K-domain of a Vaccinium corymbosum SOC1-like (VcSOC1-K) MADS-box gene is sufficient to promote flowering in tobacco

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The K-domain of a blueberry-derived SOC1 -like gene promotes flowering in tobacco without negatively impacting yield, demonstrating potential for manipulation of flowering time in horticultural crops.

Abstract

The SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) and SOC1-likes, belonging to the MIKCc (type II) MADS-box gene subfamily, are major floral activators and integrators of plant flowering. Both MADS-domains and K (Keratin)-domains are highly conserved in MIKCc-type MADS proteins. While there are many reports on overexpression of intact MIKCc-type MADS-box genes, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of the K-domains. In this report, a 474-bp K-domain of Vaccinium SOC1-like (VcSOC1-K) was cloned from the cDNA library of the northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Functional analysis of the VcSOC1-K was conducted by ectopically expressing of 35S:VcSOC1-K in tobacco. Reverse transcription PCR confirmed expression of the VcSOC1-K in T0 plants. Phenotypically, T1 transgenic plants (10 T1 plants/event) flowered sooner after seeding, and were shorter with fewer leaves at the time of flowering, than nontransgenic plants; but seed pod production of transgenic plants was not significantly affected. These results demonstrate that overexpression of the K-domain of a MIKCc-type MADS-box gene alone is sufficient to promote early flowering and more importantly without affecting seed production.

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Author notes

  1. Britton Hildebrandt

    Present address: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Guo-qing Song, Aaron Walworth, Britton Hildebrandt & Michael Leasia

  2. Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Dongyan Zhao

Authors
  1. Guo-qing Song
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  2. Aaron Walworth
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  3. Dongyan Zhao
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  4. Britton Hildebrandt
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  5. Michael Leasia
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Correspondence to Guo-qing Song.

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Communicated by B. Li.

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Song, Gq., Walworth, A., Zhao, D. et al. Constitutive expression of the K-domain of a Vaccinium corymbosum SOC1-like (VcSOC1-K) MADS-box gene is sufficient to promote flowering in tobacco. Plant Cell Rep 32, 1819–1826 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-013-1495-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-013-1495-1

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