Divergent Functional Diversification Patterns in the SEP/AGL6/AP1 MADS-box Transcription Factor Superclade
Résumé
Members of SEPALLATA (SEP) and APETALA1 (AP1)/SQUAMOSA (SQUA) MADS-box transcription
factor subfamilies play key roles in floral organ identity determination and floral meristem determinacy
in the Rosid species Arabidopsis. Here, we present a functional characterization of the seven SEP/AGL6
and four AP1/SQUA genes in the distant Asterid species Petunia x hybrida petunia. Based on the analysis
of single and higher order mutants, we report that the petunia SEP1/SEP2/SEP3 orthologs together with
AGL6 encode classical SEP floral organ identity and floral termination functions, with a master role for
the petunia SEP3 ortholog FLORAL BINDING PROTEIN 2 (FBP2). By contrast, the FBP9 subclade
members FBP9 and FBP23, for which no clear ortholog is present in Arabidopsis, play a major role in
determining floral meristem identity together with FBP4, while contributing only moderately to floral
organ identity. In turn, the four members of the petunia AP1/SQUA subfamily redundantly are required
for inflorescence meristem identity, and act as B-function repressors in the first floral whorl, together
with BEN/ROB genes. Overall, these data together with studies in other species suggest major
differences in the functional diversification of the SEP/AGL6 and AP1/SQUA MADS-box subfamilies
during angiosperm evolution.
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