Abstract
Typical angiosperm B-class MADS box genes are expressed in petals and stamens, but their expressions in other organs have also been reported. Up to now, the gymnosperm homologs are reportedly expressed exclusively in male cones. However, detailed analysis has not been carried out to determine the expression of the genes in other organs. Earlier we showed that the two B-like genes in Cryptomeria japonica have a male-cone-specific expression pattern as demonstrated by Northern blot analyses. In this study, we performed the RT-PCR analysis to determine whether they are expressed in organs other than the male cones. Our results indicate that these genes could be detected in leaves of 1-year-old saplings and field-grown trees, in leaves that associated with the early stages of strobilus development, and in female cones till the seeds were produced. These results indicate that the conifer B-like genes may have additional roles to play in plant development.
