The Arabidopsis FLC gene encodes a MADS domain protein that acts as a repre
ssor of flowering. Late-flowering vernalization-responsive ecotypes and mut
ants have high steady-state levels of FLC transcript, which decrease during
the promotion of flowering by vernalization. Therefore, FLC has a central
role in regulating the response to vernalization. We have isolated an Arabi
dopsis gene, MAF1, which encodes a protein that is closely related to FLC.
Overexpression studies demonstrate that MAF1 produces comparable effects to
FLC, and likely has a similar function in the regulation of flowering. In
contrast to FLC, however, MAF1 expression shows a less clear correlation wi
th the vernalization response. In addition, MAF1 overexpression does not in
fluence FLC transcript levels. Thus, MAF1 likely acts downstream or indepen
dently of FLC transcription. We further report identification of a cluster
of four additional FLC-like genes in the Arabidopsis genome.