Transcription Factors Control Snapdragon Asymmetry
Mar 30, 2005 - 6:45:00 AM
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Four transcription factors, CYC, DICH, DIV, and RAD, determine the formation of dorsoventral asymmetry in the snapdragon, but how they interact is unclear.
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By Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
[RxPG] RAD, a transcription factor expressed in the dorsal region of a developing snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), helps coordinate the genes that control the flower's unique asymmetrical shape, according to Susie Corley et al.
Four transcription factors, CYC, DICH, DIV, and RAD, determine the formation of dorsoventral asymmetry in the snapdragon, but how they interact is unclear.
Corley et al. cloned RAD and looked for its expression in the developing flowers of both wild-type and mutant plants. The authors found that RAD encodes a small protein with a MYB-like domain, and is thus a member of one of the largest transcription factor families in plants.
RAD was activated in the dorsal region of developing flowers by CYC and DICH, and once activated, RAD antagonized DIV, preventing its activity in the dorsal regions. DIV produces a transcription factor that leads to petals with ventral characteristics. RAD transcription factor is similar in sequence to the N-terminal domain of DIV, also a MYB transcription factor.
This similarity suggests that the two transcription factors compete for binding sites on DNA or interacting proteins. The authors suggest that RAD evolved from DIV or a common precursor via C-terminal deletion.
Publication:
"Floral asymmetry involves an interplay between N-[1-(thienyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine and MYB transcription factors in Antirrhinum" by Susie B. Corley, Rosemary Carpenter, Lucy Copsey, and Enrico Coen
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
PNAS is one of the world's most-cited multidisciplinary scientific serials. Since its establishment in 1914, it continues to publish cutting-edge research reports, commentaries, reviews, perspectives, colloquium papers, and actions of the Academy. Coverage in PNAS spans the biological, physical, and social sciences. PNAS is published weekly in print, and daily online in PNAS Early Edition. The PNAS impact factor is 10.3 for 2003. PNAS is available by subscription.
PNAS is abstracted and/or indexed in: Index Medicus, PubMed Central, Current Contents, Medline, SPIN, JSTOR, ISI Web of Science, and BIOSIS.
Please note that the articles in PNAS report original research by independent authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Academy of Sciences or the National Research Council.
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