Research Team Discovers How Temperature Affects Flowering Time

An international team of researchers under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen and Wageningen UR has studied two key genes that regulate flowering time in response to ambient temperature. The research team focused on two genes, FLM (FLOWERING LOCUS M) and SVP (SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE). The FLM gene can give rise to several different protein variants by a process called alternative splicing. After an mRNA copy of the gene has been produced, this pre-mRNA is not directly translated into protein; instead, one or several pieces are spliced out. In genes subject to alternative splicing, this can be done in different ways, producing different mature mRNA-molecules and finally various proteins.

In the case of the Arabidopsis FLM gene, there are mainly two splice products, referred to as FLM-β and FLM-δ. Experiments at Tübingen showed that FLM-activity at low temperatures results mainly in the production of FLM-β. As temperature rises, levels of FLM-β gradually decrease in favor of the expression of FLM-δ. David Posé, first author of the study said "When heated from 16°C to 27°C, the ratio of FLM-variants adjusts within 24 hours."

For more details about this research, read the joint press release at http://www.wageningenur.nl/en/show/To-bloom-or-not-to-bloom-Max-Planck-researchers-discover-how-flowering-time-is-affected-by-temperature.htm.