[Expression of CFL gene during differentiation of floral and vegetative buds in cucumber cotyledonary nodes cultured in vitro].

ABSTRACT

CFL gene, a LFY homologue, was cloned from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). In this paper, in situ hybridization was performed to analyze the expression pattern of CFL gene at the stage of floral and vegetative buds differentiation in cucumber cotyledonary nodes cultured in vitro. The results showed that at the stage of floral differentiation, CFL gene was strongly expressed in primordia, floral organ primordia, and each whirl of floral organs at the early stage of their formation, but weakly expressed or not expressed in floral organs after their formation (Fig. 2). At the stage of vegetative bud differentiation, CFL gene was strongly expressed in meristem, leaf primordium and young leaves, and no apparent expression signal was detected in mature tissues (Fig. 3). The results suggest that the expression of CFL gene be necessary for the differentiation and formation of floral and vegetative primordias, and it plays an important role in floral and vegetative development in cucumber. The results also indicate that CFL gene involving in mitosis initiation, mitosis controlling, and transformation of vegetative meristem to floral meristem.