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Functional Genomics and Genetic Control of Flower and Fruit Development in Medicago truncatula: An Overview

Protocol
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Part of the Methods in Molecular Biology book series (MIMB, volume 1822)

Abstract

A-, B-, and C-class genes code for MADS-box transcription factors required for floral organ identity in angiosperms. Other members of the family are also crucial to ensure proper carpel and fruit development. Development of genetic and genomic tools for Medicago truncatula has allowed its use as model system to study the genetic control of flower and fruit development in legumes. M. truncatula contains a single A-class gene, four B-function genes, and three C-class genes in its genome. This has made possible to do extensive functional characterization of these MADS-box transcription factors using gene expression analyses, protein-protein interactions, and forward and reverse genetic approaches. We have demonstrated the functions of these MADS-box transcription factors and the respective contributions of paralogous gene pairs to M. truncatula floral development. We have also defined the evolutionary outcomes of each duplicated pairs thus testing theoretical framework of several models about the evolution by gene duplication. Moreover, we have also studied the function of MADS-box fruit genes and how they may have contributed to the diversification of pod morphology within the Medicago genus. Our findings not only have contributed to increase knowledge in the field of the genetic control of flower and fruit development but also have provided a more complete understanding of the complexity of evolution by gene duplication and protein sequence diversification.

Keywords

Medicago truncatula Floral development MADS-box genes Gene duplication Paralog genes evolution 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (http://www.idi.mineco.gob.es/portal/site/MICINN) grant BIO2016-75485-R and BIO2015-64531-R.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV)Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación Edf. 8EValenciaSpain
  2. 2.CSIC-UPVInstitute for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology(IBMCP)ValenciaSpain

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