FT/TFL1-like家族基因调控蝴蝶兰开花的分子机理研究

Phalaenopsis is an important flower that cultivated world-wide. Due to its immature annual flowering technology and concentrated production, the improvement of industrial development and economic benefit in Phalaenopsis is affected. The establishment of stable flowering regulation technology can promote the annual production and supply of Phalaenopsis. However, Phalaenopsis flowering mechanism is poorly understood, which directly affects the development of flowering regulation technology in Phalaenopsis. FT/TFL1 genes are members of the PEBP gene family, which have been found to play crucial roles in the control of flowering time. We found that there are eight FT/TFL1-like genes in Phalaenopsis. Ectopic expression of two of the Phalaenopsis FT-like genes in Arabidopsis results in early flowering, suggesting that Phalaenopsis FT/TFL1-like genes may be involved in flowering control in Phalaenopsis, but the specific functions of FT/TFL1-like genes remain elusive in Phalaenopsis. This project will clone all the Phalaenopsis FT/TFL1-like genes and analyze the temporal and spatial expression. Through heterologous transformation and VIGS technology, we will perform overexpression and knock down analyses of FT/TFL1-like key genes. Further, we will explore the gene regulatory networks, proteins interaction and environmental induction of Phalaenopsis FT/TFL1-like genes. Our data will dissect the mechanism of FT/TFL1-like genes in flowering regulation in Phalaenopsis, and provide the theory basis for development of new varieties with early flowering and of new technologies for flowering regulation in Phalaenopsis.

蝴蝶兰是国内外广泛栽培的重要花卉，因其周年开花技术尚不成熟，生产过于集中而影响产业发展水平及经济效益的提高。建立稳定的花期调控技术可以促进蝴蝶兰周年生产和供应。但其开花机理研究尚不深入，直接影响蝴蝶兰花期调控技术的发展。FT/TFL1基因属于PEBP家族，其家族成员具有调控植物开花的重要作用。我们前期研究发现，蝴蝶兰中存在8个FT/TFL1-like基因，异源表达其中2个FT-like基因导致拟南芥提早开花，表明FT/TFL1基因可能参与蝴蝶兰开花调控，但其具体的基因功能尚不清楚。本项目拟克隆蝴蝶兰中全部FT/TFL1-like基因并进行时空表达分析，通过异源转化和VIGS技术，对FT/TFL1-like关键基因进行过表达和干扰表达，并从基因调控网络、蛋白质互作及环境诱导等角度探讨FT/TFL1-like基因调控蝴蝶兰开花的机理，为蝴蝶兰早花新品种培育及花期调控技术开发提供理论依据。