A plant-specific HUA2-LIKE (HULK) gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana is essential for development.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the HUA2 gene is required for proper expression of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and AGAMOUS, key regulators of flowering time and reproductive development, respectively. Although HUA2 is broadly expressed, plants lacking HUA2 function have only moderately reduced plant stature, leaf initiation rate and flowering time. To better understand HUA2 activity, and to test whether redundancy with similar genes underlies the absence of strong phenotypes in HUA2 mutant plants, we identified and subsequently characterized three additional HUA2-LIKE (HULK) genes in Arabidopsis.

Functional analysis of splice variant expression of MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING 2 of Arabidopsis thaliana.

The MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 2 (MAF2) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana has been characterized as a repressor of flowering. The molecular basis of MAF2 gene function and role of alternative MAF2 transcripts in flowering time modulation is not understood. MAF2 splice variant expression was quantified in cold-acclimated plants by quantitative RT-PCR.

Natural diversity in flowering responses of Arabidopsis thaliana caused by variation in a tandem gene array.

Tandemly arrayed genes that belong to gene families characterize genomes of many organisms. Gene duplication and subsequent relaxation of selection can lead to the establishment of paralogous cluster members that may evolve along different trajectories. Here, we report on the structural variation in MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING 2 (MAF2) gene, one member of the tandemly duplicated cluster of MADS-box-containing transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana.