The Making of a Compound Inflorescence in Tomato and Related Nightshades

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0060288
• Publication Date: 2008-11-14T17:31:20Z
• Authors: Zachary B Lippman; Oded Cohen; John P Alvarez; Mohamad Abu-Abied; Irena Pekker; Ilan Paran; Yuval Eshed; Dani Zamir
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; DNA, Complementary; QH301-705.5; Meristem; Gene Expression; plant; Flowers; tomato; Genes, Plant; Solanum; 03 medical and health sciences; Solanum lycopersicum; tissues; inflorescence; Biology (General); Alleles; tissues types and functions; 580; 2. Zero hunger; Genes, Homeobox; 15. Life on land; organelles; Phenotype; Mutation; organs; cell types and functions; Research Article; Transcription Factors

Variation in the branching of plant inflorescences determines flower number and, consequently, reproductive success and crop yield. Nightshade (Solanaceae) species are models for a widespread, yet poorly understood, program eudicot growth, where short side branches initiated upon floral termination. This "sympodial" produces few-flowered tomato inflorescence, but classical mutants compound inflorescence (s) anantha (an) highly branched, s bears hundreds flowers. Here we show that S AN, which encode homeobox transcription factor an F-box protein, respectively, control architecture by promoting successive stages progression meristem to specification. AN sequentially expressed during this gradual phase transition, loss either gene delays formation, resulting additional branching. Independently arisen alleles account variation among domesticated tomatoes, stimulates pepper plants normally have solitary Our results suggest Solanaceae is modulated through temporal changes acquisition fate, providing flexible evolutionary mechanism elaborate sympodial shoots.