Understanding the genetic and epigenetic architecture in complex network of rice flowering pathways

• Published in: Protein & cell 2014-12, Vol.5 (12), p.889-898
• Main Authors: Sun, Changhui, Chen, Dan, Fang, Jun, Wang, Pingrong, Deng, Xiaojian, Chu, Chengcai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - growth & development; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Chromatin - chemistry; Chromatin - metabolism; chromatin modifications; Developmental Biology; Epigenesis, Genetic; florigen; Florigen - metabolism; flowering time; Flowers - genetics; Flowers - growth & development; Flowers - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene Regulatory Networks; genetic network; Human Genetics; Life Sciences; MADS Domain Proteins - genetics; MADS Domain Proteins - metabolism; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - growth & development; Oryza - metabolism; Phenotype; Protein Science; Review; rice; Stem Cells; Time Factors; 基因控制; 复杂网络; 开花时间; 时间控制; 架构; 水稻; 表观遗传; 通路
• ISSN: 1674-800X; 1674-8018
• DOI: 10.1007/s13238-014-0068-6

Although the molecular basis of flowering time control is well dissected in the long day （LD） plant Arabidopsis, it is still largely unknown in the short day （SD） plant rice. Rice flowering time （heading date） is an important agronomic trait for season adaption and grain yield, which is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. During the last decade, as the nature of florigen was identified, notable progress has been made on exploration how florigen gene ,expression is genetically controlled. In Arabidopsis expression of certain key flowering integrators such as FLOWERING LOCUS C （FLC） and FLOWERING LOCUS T （FT） are also epige- netically regulated by various chromatin modifications, however, very little is known in rice on this aspect until very recently. This review summarized the advances of both genetic networks and chromatin modifications in rice flowering time control, attempting to give a complete view of the genetic and epigenetic architecture in complex network of rice flowering pathways.