The garden pea has been a model for the genetics of flowering for several decades and numerous flowering loci have been identified, but until recently little was known about the molecular nature of these loci. This paper presents an update on recent work on the molecular genetics of flowering in pea, outlining progress in gene and mutant isolation, expression analyses, grafting and other physiological studies, and candidate gene assessment. Work so far has led to the identification of the LATE1 and DNE loci as orthologues of Arabidopsis GIGANTEA and ELF4, respectively, and candidate genes for several other loci are being evaluated. Expression analysis of an expanded FTlike gene family suggests a more complex role for this group of genes. These results provide the first insight into the circadian clock, photoperiod response mechanism, and mobile signals in pea, and identify both conserved and divergent features in comparison with Arabidopsis.
History
Publication title
Journal of Experimental Botany
Volume
60
Issue
9
Pagination
2493-2499
ISSN
0022-0957
Department/School
School of Natural Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Place of publication
Great Clarendon St, Oxford, England, Ox2 6Dp
Rights statement
The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at: www.oxfordjournals.org