Os02g0324400

The FON2 SPARE1 (FOS1) gene encoding a CLE protein functions along with FON2 in maintenance of in the floral meristem(FM).

Annotated Information

Function

Our previous study demonstrated that FON2 is a negative regulator of stem cell maintenance in the FM [8]. In this study, introduction of indica FOS1 into fon2-1 by genetic methods using a chromosomal segment substitution line or by Agrobacteriummediated transformation completely suppressed the fon2 mutation. This finding suggests that FOS1 can substitute for the function ofFON2. Thus, FOS1 is likely to play an important role in maintenance of the FM in indica and either one of FOS1 and FON2 appears to be sufficient to restrict stem cell proliferation in the FM.

Expression

FOS1 encodes a secreted protein with a CLE domain, and is expressed in the SAM, IMand FM. Genetic and molecular analyses indicate that FOS1, together with FON2, is likely to be involved in stem cell maintenance in the FM, in rice species in the Oryza genus.

Molecular Characterization

Sequence analysis revealed that FOS1 consists of one exon with a single open reading frame and encodes a putative small protein of 131 amino acids (Figure S1). FOS1 has a signal peptide that is rich in hydrophobic amino acids at its N-terminus and a CLE domain at its C-terminus (Figure 4A). Among the CLE proteins in rice and Arabidopsis, the CLE domain of FOS1 is more similar to those of CLE8 and CLE13 than to those of FON2, FCP1 and CLV3 (Figure 4B).

Labs working on this gene

Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.