Abstract
CTP:phosphorylcholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT, EC 2.7.7.15) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the CDP-choline pathway for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. In Arabidopsis thaliana, CCT is encoded by CCT1 and CCT2. To understand the physiological importance of the CDP-choline pathway in plants, we have characterized the T-DNA insertion mutants cct1-1 and cct2 as well as the double mutant cct1-1 cct2. Although these mutants grew comparable to the wild type in the vegetative stages, the F2 generation of cct1-1 and the F1 generation of cct1-1 cct2 showed epigenetic homeosis that converted stamens into carpeloids. We herein examined methylation levels of the B-class genes of the ABC model for flower morphogenesis in the wild-type, cct1-1 and cct1-1 cct2 plants. We will discuss possible relationship between B-class gene methylation and epigenetic homeosis.
