The delayed terminal flower phenotype is caused by a conditional mutation in the CENTRORADIALIS gene of snapdragon

Plant Physiol. 2001 Jul;126(3):1031-41. doi: 10.1104/pp.126.3.1031.

Abstract

The snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) centroradialis mutant (cen) is characterized by the development of a terminal flower, thereby replacing the normally open inflorescence by a closed inflorescence. In contrast to its Arabidopsis counterpart, terminal flower1, the cen-null mutant displays an almost constant number of lateral flowers below the terminal flower. Some partial revertants of an X-radiation-induced cen mutant showed a delayed formation of the terminal flower, resulting in a variable number of lateral flowers. The number of lateral flowers formed was shown to be environmentally controlled, with the fewer flowers formed under the stronger flower-inducing conditions. Plants displaying this "Delayed terminal flower" phenotype were found to be heterozygous for a mutant allele carrying a transposon in the coding region and an allele from which the transposon excised, leaving behind a 3-bp duplication as footprint. As a consequence, an iso-leucine is inserted between Asp148 and Gly149 in the CENTRORADIALIS protein. It is proposed that this mutation results in a low level of functional CEN activity, generating a phenotype that is more similar to the Arabidopsis Terminal flower phenotype.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA, Plant
  • Genes, Plant
  • Magnoliopsida / anatomy & histology
  • Magnoliopsida / genetics*
  • Magnoliopsida / growth & development
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / physiology
  • Plant Structures / anatomy & histology
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • CEN protein, Antirrhinum majus
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA, Plant
  • Plant Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AJ251993
  • GENBANK/AJ251994