Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV), Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edf. 8E. C/Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n. E-46022, Valencia, Spain.
Plant Biology Division, Noble Research Institute, 2510 Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore, OK, 73401, USA.
Plant J. 2021 Feb;105(3):816-830. doi: 10.1111/tpj.15075. Epub 2020 Dec 9.
Legumes have unique features, such as compound inflorescences and a complex floral ontogeny. Thus, the study of regulatory genes in these species during inflorescence and floral development is essential to understand their role in the evolutionary origin of developmental novelties. The SUPERMAN (SUP) gene encodes a C2H2 zinc-finger transcriptional repressor that regulates the floral organ number in the third and fourth floral whorls of Arabidopsis thaliana. In this work, we present the functional characterization of the Medicago truncatula SUPERMAN (MtSUP) gene based on gene expression analysis, complementation and overexpression assays, and reverse genetic approaches. Our findings provide evidence that MtSUP is the orthologous gene of SUP in M. truncatula. We have unveiled novel functions for a SUP-like gene in eudicots. MtSUP controls not only the number of floral organs in the inner two whorls, but also in the second whorl of the flower. Furthermore, MtSUP regulates the activity of the secondary inflorescence meristem, thus controlling the number of flowers produced. Our work provides insight into the regulatory network behind the compound inflorescence and flower development in this angiosperm family.
豆类植物具有独特的特征，如复合花序和复杂的花发育。因此，研究这些物种在花序和花发育过程中的调节基因，对于理解它们在发育新颖性的进化起源中的作用至关重要。SUPERMAN（SUP）基因编码一个 C2H2 锌指转录抑制剂，它调节拟南芥第三和第四轮花器官的数量。在这项工作中，我们基于基因表达分析、互补和过表达实验以及反向遗传学方法，对 Medicago truncatula SUPERMAN（MtSUP）基因的功能进行了表征。我们的研究结果表明，MtSUP 是 M. truncatula 中 SUP 的同源基因。我们揭示了一个 SUP 样基因在真双子叶植物中的新功能。MtSUP 不仅控制了内两轮花器官的数量，也控制了第二轮花的数量。此外，MtSUP 还调节次生花序分生组织的活性，从而控制花的数量。我们的工作为这种被子植物家族的复合花序和花发育的调控网络提供了深入的了解。
