RESEARCH ARTICLE

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of an LFY homologous gene from Juglans regia L.

  • Fuqiang HE ,
  • Hongxia WANG ,
  • Zhihua ZHANG
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  • Mountainous Areas Research Institute, Agricultural University of Hebei, Baoding 071001, China

Received date: 26 Feb 2011

Accepted date: 18 Mar 2011

Published date: 05 Sep 2011

Copyright

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Abstract

The existence of a long juvenile phase is found seriously to affect the early-stage economic benefits of later mature walnuts (Juglans regia L.). Studies on LFY, a key gene controlling floral transition and flower differentiation, may be helpful in solving the problem. This study reports the identification and characterization of a JrLFY gene from Juglans regia L., a homolog of FLORICAULA/LFY. The gene was isolated from flower buds of precocious walnut cultivar Zhonglin No. 5 by RT-PCR and RACE. The cDNA sequence of JrLFY (GenBank accession no. GU194836) was 1496 bp and contained an ORF of 1158 bp. Its corresponding genomic sequence (GenBank accession no. HQ019159) showed that the JrLFY contained three exons and two introns. The predicted amino acid sequence of the gene consisted of 385 amino acids and had a conserved region in the C-terminal when being aligned with sequences of other LFY homologs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the LFY protein of walnut was close to those of hickory and chestnut. These studies will lay a foundation for understanding the mechanism of early fruiting and preparation for transfer of the JrLFY as a transgene to later mature walnuts.

Cite this article

Fuqiang HE , Hongxia WANG , Zhihua ZHANG . Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of an LFY homologous gene from Juglans regia L.[J]. Frontiers of Agriculture in China, 2011 , 5(3) : 366 -371 . DOI: 10.1007/s11703-011-1095-1

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