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Cloning and Characterization of a Homologue of the FLORICAULA/LEAFY Gene in Hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg)

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Abstract

Hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) is an important economic nut tree in China. However, its long juvenile phase is a deterrent to expanding its cultivation and production to wider areas. To understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms that underlie the reproductive process in hickory trees, CcLFY, a homologue of FLORICAULA/LEAFY, was cloned and its expression patterns were studied during vegetative and reproductive development. The cDNA sequence of CcLFY consisted of 1,442 bp encoding a putative protein of 385 amino acids. The protein consisted of a Pro-rich region, a central acidic domain, a putative Leucine zipper, and a basic region formed by a core of Arg and Lys residues that are critical motifs for transcription factors. sThe amino acid sequence of the CcLFY protein shares 89.2% and 65.6% identities with LFY proteins of Castanea mollissima and Arabidopsis thaliana, respectively. CcLFY was highly expressed in flower buds and leaves, weakly expressed in stems, and was undetectable in roots. In situ hybridization revealed that CcLFY was highly expressed in both immature leaves and flower buds. Expression of CcLFY was initiated during floral transition in the spring, and subsequently, continued to increase, reaching peak levels at 16 days after full bloom (DAFB). Moreover, during this period, the major floral buds formed. Heterologous expression of CcLFY in transgenic tobacco plants induced precocious flowering of growing shoots, and flowers were of normal phenotypes. These results suggested that CcLFY might play a pivotal role in flower initiation and in the development of floral organs in C. cathayensis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30872047, 31170637 and 31070604), the initial project of the National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB111510), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Z307534 and Y305331), the Key Project of the Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province (2007C12023) and the Innovation Team Project of Zhejiang A & F University (Class B) (2007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Linan, Hangzhou, 311300, People’s Republic of China

    Zheng Jia Wang, Jian Qin Huang, You Jun Huang, Fang Fang Chen & Bing Song Zheng

  2. School of Forestry & Biotechnology, Zhejiang A & F University, Dong Hu Campus, 88 North Circle Road, Linan, 311300, People’s Republic of China

    Zheng Jia Wang, Jian Qin Huang, You Jun Huang, Fang Fang Chen & Bing Song Zheng

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  1. Zheng Jia Wang
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Correspondence to Bing Song Zheng.

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Wang, Z.J., Huang, J.Q., Huang, Y.J. et al. Cloning and Characterization of a Homologue of the FLORICAULA/LEAFY Gene in Hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg). Plant Mol Biol Rep 30, 794–805 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-011-0389-z

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