PHOSPHORYLETHANOLAMINE CYTIDYLYLTRANSFERASE 1 modulates flowering in a florigen-independent manner by regulating SVP

Abstract

PHOSPHORYLETHANOLAMINE CYTIDYLYLTRANSFERASE 1 (PECT1) regulates phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis and controls the phosphatidylethanolamine:phosphatidylcholine ratio in Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous studies have suggested that PECT1 regulates flowering time by modulating the interaction between phosphatidylcholine and FLOWERING LOCUS T (Fr), a florigen, in the shoot apical meristem (SAM). Here, we show that knockdown of PECT1 by artificial microRNA in the SAM (pFD::amiR-PECT1) accelerated flowering under inductive and even non-inductive conditions, in which FT transcription is almost absent, and in ft-10 twin sister of ft-1 double mutants under both conditions. Transcriptome analyses suggested that PECT1 affects flowering by regulating SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) and GIBBERELLIN 20 OXIDASE 2 (GA20ox2). SVP misexpression in the SAM suppressed the early flowering of pFD::amiR-PECT1 plants. pFD::amiR-PECT1 plants showed increased gibberellin (GA) levels in the SAM, concomitant with the reduction of REPRESSOR OF GA1-3 levels. Consistent with this, GA treatment had little effect on flowering time of pFD::amiR-PECT1 plants and the GA antagonist paclobutrazol strongly affected flowering in these plants. Together, these results suggest that PECT1 also regulates flowering time through a florigen-independent pathway, modulating SVP expression and thus regulating GA production.