Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke

Globe artichoke [<i>Cynara cardunculus</i> var. <i>scolymus</i> (L.)] is a perennial composite cultivated for its immature inflorescences. Over time, the market for growers has steadily shifted away from vegetatively propagated varieties and towards seed-propagated hybrids. S...

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Main Authors: Rick Berentsen, María José Domenech, Peter Visser, Francisco Madueño, Vicente Balanzà, Reyes Benlloch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/9/1364
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author Rick Berentsen
María José Domenech
Peter Visser
Francisco Madueño
Vicente Balanzà
Reyes Benlloch
author_facet Rick Berentsen
María José Domenech
Peter Visser
Francisco Madueño
Vicente Balanzà
Reyes Benlloch
author_sort Rick Berentsen
collection DOAJ
description Globe artichoke [<i>Cynara cardunculus</i> var. <i>scolymus</i> (L.)] is a perennial composite cultivated for its immature inflorescences. Over time, the market for growers has steadily shifted away from vegetatively propagated varieties and towards seed-propagated hybrids. Since the latter tend to produce relatively late in the season, advancing the moment of flowering remains a major objective for breeders, who can benefit from insight gained into the genetic architecture of this trait. In plants, the timing of flowering is strongly regulated at the genetic level to ensure reproductive success. Genetic studies in model and non-model species have identified gene families playing crucial roles in flowering time control. One of these is the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family, a conserved group of genes that, in plants, not only regulate the vegetative-to-reproductive phase transition, but also the development of inflorescences. In this work, we identified seven PEBP family members in the globe artichoke genome, belonging to three major clades: <i>MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 (MFT)</i>-like, <i>TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1)</i>-like, and <i>FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)</i>-like. Our results further show that <i>CcFT</i> expression is upregulated after the floral transition and partially complements the <i>ft-10</i> mutant, whilst <i>CcTFL1</i> is expressed in the shoot apex and developing inflorescences and complements the <i>tfl1-1</i> mutant. These results suggest that the flowering-suppressing function of <i>CcTFL1</i> is conserved in globe artichoke whereas conservation of the floral promoting function of <i>CcFT</i> remains uncertain.
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spelling doaj-art-4a7e169267cd40028b8a9ceaa09f31f12025-08-20T02:31:03ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-04-01149136410.3390/plants14091364Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe ArtichokeRick Berentsen0María José Domenech1Peter Visser2Francisco Madueño3Vicente Balanzà4Reyes Benlloch5Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainBASF|Nunhems, Nunhems Spain SAU, 30593 Cartagena, SpainInstituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainGlobe artichoke [<i>Cynara cardunculus</i> var. <i>scolymus</i> (L.)] is a perennial composite cultivated for its immature inflorescences. Over time, the market for growers has steadily shifted away from vegetatively propagated varieties and towards seed-propagated hybrids. Since the latter tend to produce relatively late in the season, advancing the moment of flowering remains a major objective for breeders, who can benefit from insight gained into the genetic architecture of this trait. In plants, the timing of flowering is strongly regulated at the genetic level to ensure reproductive success. Genetic studies in model and non-model species have identified gene families playing crucial roles in flowering time control. One of these is the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family, a conserved group of genes that, in plants, not only regulate the vegetative-to-reproductive phase transition, but also the development of inflorescences. In this work, we identified seven PEBP family members in the globe artichoke genome, belonging to three major clades: <i>MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 (MFT)</i>-like, <i>TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1)</i>-like, and <i>FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)</i>-like. Our results further show that <i>CcFT</i> expression is upregulated after the floral transition and partially complements the <i>ft-10</i> mutant, whilst <i>CcTFL1</i> is expressed in the shoot apex and developing inflorescences and complements the <i>tfl1-1</i> mutant. These results suggest that the flowering-suppressing function of <i>CcTFL1</i> is conserved in globe artichoke whereas conservation of the floral promoting function of <i>CcFT</i> remains uncertain.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/9/1364globe artichokefloweringbolting timePEBP family<i>FT</i><i>TFL1</i>
spellingShingle Rick Berentsen
María José Domenech
Peter Visser
Francisco Madueño
Vicente Balanzà
Reyes Benlloch
Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke
Plants
globe artichoke
flowering
bolting time
PEBP family
<i>FT</i>
<i>TFL1</i>
title Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke
title_full Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke
title_fullStr Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke
title_full_unstemmed Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke
title_short Assessing Functional Conservation Amongst <i>FT</i>- and <i>TFL1</i>-like Genes in Globe Artichoke
title_sort assessing functional conservation amongst i ft i and i tfl1 i like genes in globe artichoke
topic globe artichoke
flowering
bolting time
PEBP family
<i>FT</i>
<i>TFL1</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/9/1364
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