MOLECULAR-GENETIC ANALYSIS OF FLOWERING TIME IN ARABIDOPSIS

Genetic studies on the floral transition in Arabidopsis have indicated that there are more than 20 genes involved in regulating the timing o f the switch between vegetative and reproductive growth. This review f ocuses on three genes that play a critical role in flowering, LUMINIDE PENDENS, FRIGIDA and FLC. The LUMINIDEPENDENS gene is involved in cons titutive floral promotion, and encodes a novel nuclear protein. The FR IGIDA and FLC genes, in contrast, act as constitutive floral inhibitor s. Further molecular analyses of these genes as well as other genes in volved in the floral transition should help elucidate this seemingly c omplex pathway.