Validation of hypothesis that mitochondria play as vernalizaiton sensor

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14628
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Science in genetics and breeding
• Research Institution: Fukui Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: MURAI Koji 福井県立大学, 生物資源学部, 教授 (70261097)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 春化 / ミトコンドリア / 花成 / コムギ / 細胞質置換系統

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Vernalization in which an extended period of low temperature in winter results in the flowering induction during the following spring. It is an important adaptive trait for long-day plants which are germinated at autumn. In wheat and barley, a flowering promoter MADS-box gene VERNARIZATION 1 (VRN1) is epigenetically up-regulated by vernalization, and plays a central role in flowering. Cytoplasmic substitution (alloplasmic) lines of wheat (Triticum aestivum) that carry the cytoplasm (mitochondrial genome) of the wild relative Aegilops geniculata show delayed flowering-time compared with the normal cytoplasm (euplasmic) lines. In this study, using the alloplasmic line, I indicated the possibility that mitochondrial genome contains the vernalization sensor gene which affects the epigenetic state of nuclear VRN1 gene.

Free Research Field

植物遺伝育種学