Functional Genomics Center Seminar

 

▶ Subject :  Photoperiodism: the role of FKF1 photoperiod sensor in flowering regulation

▶ Speaker: Prof. Young Hun Song(University of Washington)

▶ Date :  11:00AM/ May. 10(Thu)/2012

▶ Place :  Auditorium(1F), Postech Biotech Center

 

*Abstract
  How do organisms determine the time of year and how can they anticipate seasonal changes? In most cases, day-length or photoperiod acts as the principal external cue for determining seasonal activity. I am interested in how living organisms, especially plants, measure day-length changes and use this seasonal information in order to synchronize developmental events with surrounded environmental conditions. Plants use day-length information to coordinate flowering time with the appropriate season to maximize their reproductive fitness. In Arabidopsis, which is a small flowering plant that serves as a genetic model organism, the long-day specific expression of CONSTANS (CO) protein is crucial for flowering induction. Although light signaling regulates CO protein stability, the mechanism by which CO is stabilized in the long-day afternoon has not well-understood. Here we demonstrate that FLAVIN-BINDING, KELCH REPEAT, F-BOX 1 (FKF1) protein stabilizes CO protein in the afternoon in long days. FKF1 interacts with CO through its LOV domain, and blue light enhances this interaction. In addition, FKF1 simultaneously removes CYCLING DOF FACTOR 1 (CDF1) that represses CO and FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) transcription. Together with CO transcriptional regulation, FKF1 protein controls robust FT mRNA induction through multiple feedforward mechanisms that accurately control flowering timing.

☎ Inquiry : Prof. Hwang Il-Doo(279-2291)