Analyses of light-mediated flowering regulation under natural envitronment

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16170
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44030:Plant molecular biology and physiology-related
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Namima Akane (久保田茜) 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 助教 (70835371)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 光周性花成 / フィトクロム / 概日時計

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism of seasonal florigen response in the field environment. By using a reconstructed system of the outdoor environment in the laboratory, which was originally established by the principal investigators, we attempted to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of the florigen gene FT expression. As a result, they found that the regulation of morning FT gene expression is mainly regulated via the FR-high irradiation response. We also found that phytochrome A and its interacting factor, the bHLH-type transcription factor PIF7, are involved in the induction of morning FT. These results suggest that plants may regulate the expression levels of FT genes twice a day, in the morning and evening, by using different light-signaling pathways during the day.

Free Research Field

植物分子遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

朝夕のFT発現は野外で発見された現象であり、FTは農作物全般に保存された花成ホルモンであることから、本研究の成果は学術面以外にも農業面への応用性を担保しており、実社会への還元性も高い。FTタンパク質は、花成ホルモンとして茎頂で機能する他に種子、気孔においても長距離シグナル伝達物質として様々な形態形成・環境応答を制御する [Kinoshita et al., 2011; Chen and Penfield, 2018]。これらの分野でも夕方にのみFTが機能することを前提とした理解がなされてきたが、本研究で朝FTの環境応答性についての理解が進むことによって、既知の関連因子の機能の見直しにつながる。