Overexpression of FLOWERING LOCUS C, Isolated from Non-Heading Chinese Cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp chinensis Makino), Influences Fertility in Arabidopsis

Flowering, transition from vegetative to reproductive phase in plants, is regulated by both endogenous and environmental signals. FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) in Arabidopsis encodes a dosage-dependent repressor of flowering. We have isolated a FLC-related sequence from non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis Makino) and named it as BcFLC1. In this study, we found that fertility was affected by the overexpression of BcFLC1 in Arabidopsis. The floral morphology of shortening anther filaments and the phenotype of reduced or small siliques were observed in BcFLC1 overexpression plants. RT-PCR showed that the reduced fertility in Arabidopsis by the overexpression of FLC was related with the enhanced expression of anther filaments suppressor, such as RGA and RGL genes, and declined expression of SEPALLATA3 (SEP3) gene, encoding a MADS-box transcription factor involved in flower and ovule development.