An APETALA3 homolog controls both petal identity and floral meristem patterning in Nigella damascena L. (Ranunculaceae). (14th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gonçalves, Beatriz; Nougué, Odrade; Jabbour, Florian; Ridel, Céline; Morin, Halima; Laufs, Patrick; Manicacci, Domenica; Damerval, Catherine
• Is Part Of: Plant journal. Volume 76:Number 2(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 223
• Page End: 235
• Publication Date: 2013-08-14
• Subjects: Plant molecular biology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12284
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-7412

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tpj12284-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Flower architecture mutants provide a unique opportunity to address the genetic origin of flower diversity. Here we study a naturally occurring floral dimorphism in <italic>Nigella damascena</italic> (Ranunculaceae), involving replacement of the petals by numerous sepal‐like and chimeric sepal/stamen organs. We performed a comparative study of floral morphology and floral development, and characterized the expression of <italic>APETALA3</italic> and <italic>PISTILLATA</italic> homologs in both morphs. Segregation analyses and gene silencing were used to determine the involvement of an <italic>APETALA3</italic> paralog (<italic>NdAP3–3</italic>) in the floral dimorphism. We demonstrate that the complex floral dimorphism is controlled by a single locus, which perfectly co‐segregates with the <italic>NdAP3–3</italic> gene. This gene is not expressed in the apetalous morph and exhibits a particular expression dynamic during early floral development in the petalous morph. <italic>NdAP3–3</italic> silencing in petalous plants perfectly phenocopies the apetalous morph. Our results show that <italic>NdAP3–3</italic> is fully responsible for the complex <italic>N. damascena</italic> floral dimorphism, suggesting that it plays a role not only in petal identity but also in meristem patterning, possibly through regulation of perianth organ number and the perianth/stamen boundary.</p> </abstract>