Isolation and Characterization of Circadian Clock Genes in Pongamia (Millettia pinnata)

The legume Pongamia (Millettia pinnata) has shown potential as an oil source for biofuel production. Its production will depend on flowering and seed development. The circadian clock pathway, a part of the photoperiod pathway, is a known key regulator of flowering time. The team of Prem L. Bhalla from the University of Melbourne in Australia, now aims to reveal its secrets.

The team identified four pongamia circadian clock genes: ELF4, LCL1, PRR7, and TOC1. Further analysis shows that pongamia clock genes are conserved among legume crops. Gene expression studies highlight that the circadian clock genes are diurnally regulated under long-day conditions.

This study reports the characterization of circadian clock genes in pongamia and enhances our understanding of the mechanism of flowering control in pongamia. This in turn can be used to modify the crop for biofuels production.