Flowering in Arabidopsis is promoted via several interacting pathways. A ph
otoperiod-dependent pathway relays signals from photoreceptors to a transcr
iption factor gene, CONSTANS (CO), which activates downstream meristem iden
tity genes such as LEAFY (LFY). FT, together with LFY, promotes flowering a
nd is positively regulated by CO. Loss of FT causes delay in flowering, whe
reas overexpression of FT results in precocious flowering independent of CO
or photoperiod. FT acts in part downstream of CO and mediates signals for
flowering in an antagonistic manner with its homologous gene, TERMINAL FLOW
ER1 (TFL1).