Molecular Characterization and Expression Patterns of the Gene Reveal Distinct Roles in Inflorescence Structure and Floral Organ Development in .

() genes are members of the well-known MADS-box gene family that play a key role in regulating vital developmental processes in plants. are perennial herbs that exhibit continuous flowering development and have been extensively used in landscaping. However, there are few reports on the regulatory mechanism of flowering in . To better understand the molecular basis of floral formation of , we identified and characterized the -like gene from the cultivar 'Kanai Sensei'. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) indicated that transcript was mainly expressed in the vegetative growth stage and had the highest expression in leaves, low expression in petals, pedicels and fruits, and no expression in pistils. The HkSVP encoded protein was localized in the nucleus of protoplasts and the nucleus of onion epidermal cells. Yeast two hybrid assay revealed that HKSVP interacted with AP1 and TFL1. Moreover, overexpression of in resulted in delayed flowering and abnormal phenotypes, including enriched trichomes, increased basal inflorescence branches and inhibition of inflorescence formation. These observations suggest that the gene may play an important role in maintaining vegetative growth by participating in the construction of inflorescence structure and the development of flower organs.