作者：Li Xie, Yong Zhang, Ke Wang¹, Xumei Luo, Dengan Xu, Xiuling Tian, Lingli Li, Xingguo Ye, Xianchun Xia, Wenxue Li, Liuling Yan and Shuanghe Cao*

　　影响因子：7.433

　　刊物名称：New Phytologist

　　出版年份：26 November 2019

　　doi: 10.1111/nph.16339

　　文章摘要： TaVrn1 , encoding a MADS-box transcription factor (TF), is the central regulator of wheat vernalization-induced flowering. Considering that the MADS-box TF usually works by forming hetero or homo dimers, we conducted yeast two hybrid screening and identified an SVP-like MADS-box protein TaVrt2 interacting with TaVrn1. However, the specific function of TaVrt2 and the biological implication of its interaction with TaVrn1 remained unknown. We validated the function of TaVrt2 and TaVrn1 by wheat transgenic experiments and their interaction through multiple protein-binding assays. Population genetic analysis was also used to display their interplay. Transcriptomic sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were performed to identify their common targets. TaVrt2 and TaVrn1 are flowering promoters in the vernalization pathway and interact physically in vitro , in planta and in wheat cells. Additionally, TaVrt2 and TaVrn1 were significantly induced in leaves by vernalization, suggesting their spatio-temporal interaction during vernalization. Genetic analysis indicated that TaVrt2 and TaVrn1 had significant epistatic effects on flowering time. Furthermore, native TaVrn1 was up-regulated significantly in TaVrn1 -OE (overexpression) and TaVrt2 -OE lines. Moreover, TaVrt2 could bind with TaVrn1 promoter directly. A TaVrt2 -mediated positive feedback loop of TaVrn1 during vernalization was proposed, providing additional understanding on the regulatory mechanism underlying vernalization-reduced flowering.