PLoS ONE (Jan 2013)

Overexpression of a MADS-box gene from birch (Betula platyphylla) promotes flowering and enhances chloroplast development in transgenic tobacco.

  • Guan-Zheng Qu,
  • Tangchun Zheng,
  • Guifeng Liu,
  • Wenjie Wang,
  • Lina Zang,
  • Huanzhen Liu,
  • Chuanping Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0063398
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 5
p. e63398

Abstract

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In this study, a MADS-box gene (BpMADS), which is an ortholog of AP1 from Arabidopsis, was isolated from birch (Betula platyphylla). Transgenic Arabidopsis containing a BpMADS promoter::GUS construct was produced, which exhibited strong GUS staining in sepal tissues. Ectopic expression of BpMADS significantly enhanced the flowering of tobacco (35S::BpMADS). In addition, the chloroplasts of transgenic tobacco exhibited much higher growth and division rates, as well rates of photosynthesis, than wild-type. A grafting experiment demonstrated that the flowering time of the scion was not affected by stock that overexpressed BpMADS. In addition, the overexpression of BpMADS resulted in the upregulation of some flowering-related genes in tobacco.