Abstract
In Arabidopsis, information from various pathways is integrated at the transcriptional regulation of floral pathway integrator genes including FT. FT encodes a protein of the PEBP/RKIP family. FT functions interdependently with another flowering regulator gene FD, which encodes a bZIP transcription factor and is expressed at the shoot apex.
FT is expressed in vascular tissues of cotyledons and leaves, and moves to the shoot apex. We have shown that FT protein interacts with FD protein and promotes flowering in the nucleus. It is likely that FT protein regulates downstream genes with FD and other transcription factors. We are currently screening genes whoes expression is regulated by FT using microarray analysis.
