Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 8 April 2005:
Vol. 308. no. 5719, pp. 260 - 263
DOI: 10.1126/science.1108229
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

The Floral Regulator LEAFY Evolves by Substitutions in the DNA Binding Domain

Alexis Maizel,1,2 Maximilian A. Busch,2 Takako Tanahashi,3 Josip Perkovic,1 Masahiro Kato,3 Mitsuyasu Hasebe,4 Detlef Weigel1*

The plant-specific transcription factor LEAFY controls general aspects of the life cycle in a basal plant, the moss Physcomitrella patens. In contrast, LEAFY has more specialized functions in angiosperms, where it specifically induces floral fate during the reproductive phase. This raises the question of a concomitant change in the biochemical function of LEAFY during the evolution of land plants. We report that the DNA binding domain of LEAFY, although largely conserved, has diverged in activity. On the contrary, other, more rapidly evolving portions of the protein have few effects on LEAFY activity.

1 Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
2 Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
3 Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
4 National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: weigel{at}weigelworld.org

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Coming into bloom: the specification of floral meristems.
C. Liu, Z. Thong, and H. Yu (2009)
Development 136, 3379-3391
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Regulation of stem cell maintenance by the Polycomb protein FIE has been conserved during land plant evolution.
A. Mosquna, A. Katz, E. L. Decker, S. A. Rensing, R. Reski, and N. Ohad (2009)
Development 136, 2433-2444
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Tendril-less Regulates Tendril Formation in Pea Leaves.
J. Hofer, L. Turner, C. Moreau, M. Ambrose, P. Isaac, S. Butcher, J. Weller, A. Dupin, M. Dalmais, C. Le Signor, et al. (2009)
PLANT CELL 21, 420-428
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Moss Physcomitrella patens: A Novel Model System for Plant Development and Genomic Studies.
D. J. Cove, P.-F. Perroud, A. J. Charron, S. F. McDaniel, A. Khandelwal, and R. S. Quatrano (2009)
CSH Protocols 2009, pdb.emo115
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Patterning of Inflorescences and Flowers by the F-Box Protein DOUBLE TOP and the LEAFY Homolog ABERRANT LEAF AND FLOWER of Petunia.
E. Souer, A. B. Rebocho, M. Bliek, E. Kusters, R. A.M. de Bruin, and R. Koes (2008)
PLANT CELL 20, 2033-2048
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A molecular genetic perspective of reproductive development in grapevine.
M. J. Carmona, J. Chaib, J. M. Martinez-Zapater, and M. R. Thomas (2008)
J. Exp. Bot. 59, 2579-2596
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
An Arabidopsis F-box protein acts as a transcriptional co-factor to regulate floral development.
E. Chae, Q. K.-G. Tan, T. A. Hill, and V. F. Irish (2008)
Development 135, 1235-1245
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Control of Compound Leaf Development by FLORICAULA/LEAFY Ortholog SINGLE LEAFLET1 in Medicago truncatula.
H. Wang, J. Chen, J. Wen, M. Tadege, G. Li, Y. Liu, K. S. Mysore, P. Ratet, and R. Chen (2008)
Plant Physiology 146, 1759-1772
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Distinct regulatory role for RFL, the rice LFY homolog, in determining flowering time and plant architecture.
N. N. Rao, K. Prasad, P. R. Kumar, and U. Vijayraghavan (2008)
PNAS 105, 3646-3651
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Hormone interactions and regulation of PsPK2::GUS compared with DR5::GUS and PID::GUS in Arabidopsis thaliana.
F. Bai and D. A. DeMason (2008)
Am. J. Botany 95, 133-145
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Direct Repression of KNOX Loci by the ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 Complex of Arabidopsis.
M. Guo, J. Thomas, G. Collins, and M. C.P. Timmermans (2008)
PLANT CELL 20, 48-58
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Compound Leaf Development and Evolution in the Legumes.
C. E.M. Champagne, T. E. Goliber, M. F. Wojciechowski, R. W. Mei, B. T. Townsley, K. Wang, M. M. Paz, R. Geeta, and N. R. Sinha (2007)
PLANT CELL 19, 3369-3378
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Floral Initiation and Inflorescence Architecture: A Comparative View.
R. Benlloch, A. Berbel, A. Serrano-Mislata, and F. Madueno (2007)
Ann. Bot. 100, 659-676
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
PlanTAPDB, a Phylogeny-Based Resource of Plant Transcription-Associated Proteins.
S. Richardt, D. Lang, R. Reski, W. Frank, and S. A. Rensing (2007)
Plant Physiology 143, 1452-1466
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Progress and challenges in studies of the evolution of development.
E. A. Kellogg (2006)
J. Exp. Bot. 57, 3505-3516
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Florigen coming of age after 70 years..
J. A.D. Zeevaart (2006)
PLANT CELL 18, 1783-1789
   Full Text »    PDF »
Branching Out: The ramosa Pathway and the Evolution of Grass Inflorescence Morphology..
P. McSteen (2006)
PLANT CELL 18, 518-522
   Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)