Abstract
The floral pathway integrator FT encodes a 20k-Da protein of the PEBP/RKIP family. FT requires a bZIP transcription factor gene FD for promoting flowering. FT protein interacts with FD protein in vitro and in yeast cells. However, biochemical function of FT protein remains to be elucidated. To understand functionally important residues or domains, mutant FT proteins with single amino acid substitutions or N-terminal deletion were tested for interaction with FD. Phenotypes of plants overexpressing these mutant proteins are also being examined.
TFL1 which shares homology with FT but has opposite roles in flowering does not interact with FD. To determine the region responsible for the difference between FT and TFL1, chimeric proteins were tested for the interaction with FD. Phenotypes of ft; tfl1 doubule mutant overexpressing chimeric proteins are being examined.
