terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 VviSOC1a and VviAG1 act antagonistically in the regulation of flower formation

VviSOC1a and VviAG1 act antagonistically in the regulation of flower formation

Abstract

The SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1) is a key floral activator that coordinates external and internal stimuli to ensure timely flowering. During early stages of flower formation, SOC1 represses floral organ identity genes such as AGAMOUS (AG) to prevent premature organ differentiation. In addition to floral organ specification, AG has been shown to regulate fleshy fruit expansion and ripening and, as such, is an important contributor to fruit quality traits. Currently, little is known about the function and gene regulatory network of the grapevine homologs VviSOC1a and VviAG1. As such, the aim of this study was to functionally characterise both genes by overexpressing them in tomato and performing phenotypic and gene expression studies. A dual luciferase (DL) assay involving putative target gene promoters was also conducted. Overexpression of VviSOC1a led to the development of leaf-like sepals, petals with increased chlorophyll content and plant sterility phenotypes. VviAG1-OE lines displayed hastened floral initiation, stamenoid petals, dwarfed fruit, as well as forming fleshy fruit sepals which gave the appearance of ripened pericarp tissue. The observed floral phenotypes were, in part, supported by the modulation of genes required for floral organ specification in tomato. VviSOC1a and VviAG1 displayed opposite expression trends, while also repressing each other’s expression in the DL assay. Collectively, the findings of this study supported a role for VviSOC1a in regulating floral organ specification, through the repression of the stamen and carpel identity gene VviAG1. An additional function for VviAG1 in berry development and ripening is also suggested.

Download the abstract

DOI:

Publication date: June 13, 2024

Issue: Open GPB 2024

Type: Poster

Authors

Jenna Jolliffe1,2, Claudio Moser2, Stefania Pilati2 and Justin Lashbrooke3*

1South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
2Research and Innovation Centre, Edmund Mach Foundation, San Michele all’Adige, 38098, Italy
3Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

Contact the author*

Keywords

SOC1, AG1, Flower, transcription factor, development

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Open GPB | Open GPB 2024

Citation

Related articles…

Implementation of a deep learning-based approach for detecting and localising automatically grapevine leaves with downy mildew symptoms

Grapevine downy mildew is a disease of foliage caused by Oomycete Plasmopara viticola an endoparasite that develops inside grapevine organs and can infect virtually every green organ. Downy mildew is one of the most destructive diseases in wine-growing regions, drastically reducing yield and fruit quality. Traditional manual disease detection relies on farm experts. Human field scouting has been widely used for monitoring the disease progress, however, is costly, laborious, subjective, and often imprecise.

Read More

Effect of early defoliation on volatile composition and sensory properties of aglianico red wines

The aim of this work was to study the influence of early defoliation in the vineyard on Aglianico wines quality from Apulia region (Italy). Early defoliation was conducted in commercial Aglianico

Read More

Detoxification capacities of heavy metals and pesticides by yeasts 

Winegrowing is still characterized by the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and plant protection products, despite strong recommendations to limit these practices. A part of these xenobiotics and metals are then found in grape juice and wine, causing a major health concern, as well as negatively affecting the fermentation process. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in non-Saccharomyces yeasts. These species have a wide phenotypic diversity, which would be exploited to broaden the aromatic palette of wines.

Read More

Altered lignans accumulation in a somatic variant of Tempranillo with increased extractability of polyphenols during winemaking

Vegetative propagation of grapevines can generate spontaneous somatic variations, providing a valuable source for cultivar improvement. In this context, natural variation in the composition of phenolic compounds in grapevine berries and seeds stands as a pivotal factor in crafting wines with diverse oenological profiles from the same cultivar. To deepen on the understanding of the physiological and genetic mechanisms driving somatic variation in grape phenolics, here we characterized a somatic variant from Tempranillo Tinto, the clone VN21, that exhibits an intense reduced berry skin cuticle and increased extractability of phenolic compounds during wine fermentation.

Read More

Impact of addition of fumaric acid and glutathion at the end of alcoholic fermentation on Cabernet-Sauvignon wine

Viticulture and oenology face two major challenges today, climate change and the reduction in the use of inputs. Climate change induces low acidity and microbiologically less stable wines

Read More