Abstract
Petal morphogenesis has a profound influence on the quality of ornamental flowers. Most current research on petal development focuses on the early developmental stage, and little is known about the late developmental stage. Previously, it was reported that the GEG gene [a gerbera homolog of the gibberellin-stimulated transcript 1 (GAST1) from tomato] negatively regulates ray petal growth during the late stage of development by inhibiting longitudinal cell expansion. To explore the molecular mechanisms of the role of GEG in petal growth inhibition, an ethylene insensitive 3-like 1 (EIL1) protein was identified from a Gerbera hybrida cDNA library by yeast one-hybrid screening. Direct binding between GhEIL1 and the GEG promoter was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift and dual-luciferase assays. The expression profiles of GhEIL1 and GEG were correlated during petal development, while a transient transformation assay suggested that GhEIL1 regulates GEG expression and may be involved in the inhibition of ray petal elongation and cell elongation. To study the effect of ethylene on ray petal growth, a hormone treatment assay was performed in detached ray petals. The results showed that petal elongation is limited and promoted by ACC and 1-MCP, respectively, and the expression of GhEIL1 and GEG is regulated and coordinated during this process. Taken together, our research suggests that GhEIL1 forms part of the ethylene signaling pathway and activates GEG to regulate ray petal growth during the late developmental stage in G. hybrida.
Highlights
The arrangement of inflorescences has an important role for plants during the reproductive growth period
A full-length GhEIL1 cDNA was cloned by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and 5′RACE, and contained a 1,641-bp open reading frame that encoded a protein of 547 amino acids; its nucleotide sequence was deposited in GenBank (MF370883)
Overexpressing ethylene insensitive 3-like 1 (EIL1) in the ein3 ebf1 ebf2 triple mutant results in flowers with stunted petals and protruding gynoecia, indicating that EIL1 is important for flower growth in Arabidopsis (An et al, 2010)
Summary
The arrangement of inflorescences has an important role for plants during the reproductive growth period. Of EIL1 Protein in Gerbera hybrida which Gerbera hybrida is one of the most important commercially grown varieties, belongs to the large sunflower family (Asteraceae). It has an inflorescence typically consisting of three different types of florets, which from outside to the inside are ray florets, trans florets, and disc florets. This head-like inflorescence structure is very different from that of the classical model plant Arabidopsis, and G. hybrida is regarded as a new model for floral organ developmental studies, among the Asteraceae (Shepard and Purugganan, 2002; Buzgo et al, 2004; Zhang et al, 2017)
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