Analysis of a novel plant glutaredoxin involved in flower development

虽然已经对控制花器官发生的同源异型A、B和C类基因的功能进行了大量的研究，但是对于花器官原基的启动所需的基因仍然知之甚少，花器官原基的启动是一个不受这些关键调控基因控制的事件。我们已经分离出一个T-DNA突变体产生的花瓣原基数量减少，并显示在以后的花瓣发育异常，如花瓣叶片弯曲。令人惊讶的是，受影响的基因，命名为ROXY 1，编码谷氧还蛋白（GRX），属于一个大的拟南芥基因家族的信息是稀缺的。GRX是氧化或还原保守的含半胱氨酸基序的氧化还原酶。到目前为止，GXR与氧化应激反应有关。我们的数据首次表明，GRX在花发育过程中起着至关重要的作用，可能是通过保守的半胱氨酸介导的翻译后修饰。我们希望利用GRX突变体的第一个特征，并详细研究ROXY 1和相关GRX的功能。ROXY 1靶基因的谱似乎相当广泛，如roxy 1突变体表型和遗传相互作用研究所示。我们认为，它是特别感兴趣的目标蛋白质的识别和表征，以解开氧化还原调节和花发育之间的有趣的连接。

Although much research has been conducted on the function of homeotic class A, B and C genes controlling flower organogenesis, little is still known about the genes required for the initiation of the flower organ primordia, an event which is not controlled by these key regulatory genes. We have isolated a T-DNA mutant producing a reduced number of petal primordia and showing abnormalities during later petal development, such as bending of the petal blade. Surprisingly, the affected gene, named ROXY1, encodes a glutaredoxin (GRX) and belongs to a large Arabidopsis gene family for which information is scarce. GRXs are oxidoreductases that oxidize or reduce conserved, cysteine containing motives. Thus far, GXRs have been associated with the response to oxidative stress. Our data indicate for the first time that a GRX plays a crucial role during flower development, likely by means of a conserved cysteine mediating posttranslational modifications. We want to take advantage of the first characterization of a GRX mutant and investigate the function of ROXY1 and related GRXs in detail. The spectrum of ROXY1 target genes seems to be rather broad, as indicated by the roxy1 mutant phenotype and by genetic interactions studies. We consider that it is of particular interest to identify and characterize target proteins to unravel the intriguing connection between redox regulation and flower development.