Abstract
Flower and fruit development are two key steps for plant reproduction. The ABCE model for flower development has been well established in model plant species; however, the functions of ABCE genes in fruit crops are less understood. In this work, we identified an EMS mutant named R27 in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), showing the conversion of petals, stamens, and carpels to sepaloid organs in a semidominant inheritance fashion. Mapping by sequencing revealed that the class E gene homolog FveSEP3 (FvH4_4g23530) possessed the causative mutation in R27 due to a G to E amino acid change in the conserved MADS domain. Additional fvesep3CR mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 displayed similar phenotypes to fvesep3-R27. Overexpressing wild-type or mutated FveSEP3 in Arabidopsis suggested that the mutation in R27 might cause a dominant-negative effect. Further analyses indicated that FveSEP3 physically interacted with each of the ABCE proteins in strawberry. Moreover, both R27 and fvesep3CR mutants exhibited parthenocarpic fruit growth and delayed fruit ripening. Transcriptome analysis revealed that both common and specific differentially expressed genes were identified in young fruit at 6–7 days post anthesis (DPA) of fvesep3 and pollinated wild type when compared to unpollinated wild type, especially those in the auxin pathway, a key hormone regulating fruit set in strawberry. Together, we provided compelling evidence that FveSEP3 plays predominant E functions compared to other E gene homologs in flower development and that FveSEP3 represses fruit growth in the absence of pollination and promotes fruit ripening in strawberry.
Highlights
Introduction The octoploid strawberry speciesFragaria × ananassa is cultivated worldwide as an economically important fruit crop
We provided compelling evidence that FveSEP3 plays predominant E functions compared to other E gene homologs in flower development and that FveSEP3 represses fruit growth in the absence of pollination and promotes fruit ripening in strawberry
The diploid woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca has emerged as a model species for research on flower development and fruit ripening[1,2]
Summary
Introduction The octoploid strawberry speciesFragaria × ananassa is cultivated worldwide as an economically important fruit crop. The diploid woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca has emerged as a model species for research on flower development and fruit ripening[1,2]. The flower is an essential organ in angiosperms for fruit production. F. vesca flowers have four typical whorls of floral organs, namely, sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. The well-known ABCE model for flower development explains the basic tenets of floral organ specification. In this model, four classes of homeotic genes (A, B, C, and E) work coordinately to determine the identity of each whorl of floral organs. Class A genes (APETALA1, AP1; APETALA2, AP2) specify sepal identity; class A and B (APETALA3, AP3; PISTILLATA, PI) genes specify petal identity; class B and C (AGAMOUS, AG) genes specify stamen identity; class C genes
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