玉米花序建成相关基因及其调控网络

Inflorescence Architecture-Related Genes and Their Regulatory Networks in Maize

从营养生长向生殖生长的转换是植物生命周期中最富戏剧性的发育过程.玉米花序发育经历花期决定及花序建成两个阶段.近年来,基于突变体的遗传分析,科学家已鉴定、分离了许多调控花序发育进程中各类分生组织身份、有限性和形态维持的基因,对这些基因的生物学功能、作用机理及调控途径等进行了深入研究,为阐明玉米花序建成的生物学基础积累了丰富的资料.本文对玉米花序建成相关基因的生物学功能及其作用机理进行了综述,重点描绘了这些基因间的互作与调控网络,以供相关研究参考.

The phase change from vegetative growth to reproductive growth is the most dramatic development process during the life cycle of plants. The development of maize inflorescence undergoes two periods: the elaboration of the inflorescence and the formation of flowers. Recently, a few genes that control the identity, determinacy and maintenance of all kinds of meristems have been isolated from developmental mutants through forward genetics strategy, and their biological functions, regulatory mechanisms and genetic interaction networks have been well elucidated. These research results have accumulated useful information for elucidating the biological basis of inflorescence architecture of maize. Here, we summarize recent advances in the analysis of maize mutants that alter the identity and function of inflorescence and floral meristems, particularly, emphasizing the genetic interactions and regulatory networks among these isolated genes.