Associate Professor Jo Putterill

Phone: 09-3737599 x87233
Rm 318A
Email: j.putterill@auckland.ac.nz

The Flowering Lab

We use molecular genetics to study the regulation of the time to flowering in plants using molecular biology, biochemistry and gene transfer techniques in the lab.

The timing of flowering to favourable seasons of the year is crucial for reproductive success in plants and there is commercial interest in breeding varieties with customized flowering. In the last year there has been great progress in flowering research with the identification of FT protein as the long sought after florigen, a universal floral promoting substance.

We are particularly interested in how external cues such as day length, light quality and winter cold regulate flowering. We use Arabidopsis, a model experimental plant that is the focus of a large international research effort and are beginning work on another model plant, the legume Medicago truncatula, in order to discover new mechanisms for flowering control and test how well the flowering network is conserved between species. We are also developing tools for repressing and inducing flowering.

Regulation of flowering in Medicago truncatula

Some plants have a vernalisation requirement - they need a prolonged exposure to cold temperatures (1- 10C for up to 12 weeks depending on the plant) - before they can flower. This important adaptation prevents flowering until they have over-wintered and spring has arrived bringing conditions that are optimal for subsequent seed production. The molecular mechanism of vernalisation is best understood in the Arabidopsis. Recently, there also has been excellent progress in monocot plants, including the cereals wheat and barley which have winter varieties that require vernalisation. However, the molecular mechanisms of vernalisation differ between Arabidopsis and cereals. This raises the interesting and important question of how vernalisation operates in other eudicots. We are studying this in a Marsden-funded project using the model legume Medicago truncatula. Medicago is vernalisation and long day responsive in flowering. It has many useful genomic resources, but relatively little is known about the genetic control of flowering in this legume. We are focusing on a mutant called spring1, that no longer requires vernalisation to promote flowering. We are also screening mutant collections of Medicago to identify additional mutants with a view to cloning novel regulators of flowering and helping to develop a model of control of flowering in this legume. Ultimately, this work will contribute to breeding of crop plants that are better adapted to their geographical location and climate.

Students in the Flowering Lab 2010

Christine Stockum (PhD student) - Influence of photoreceptors on transcript and protein levels of the flowering time regulator GIGANTEA
Jacob Monash (MSc student) - Functional characterisation of candidate Medicago flowering time genes
Sujit Kalidas (BTech student) - Characterisation of Medicago flowering time mutants

Recent Publications

Yeoh CC, Balcerowicz M, Laurie R, Macknight R, J Putterill (2011). Developing a method for customised induction in flowering. BMC BIOTECHNOLOGY Volume: 11 Article Number: 36.
http://apps.isiknowledge.com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/full_record.do?product=WOS&search_mode=GeneralSearch&qid=1&SID=P1lGIO1IAfe2OkBMA38&page=1&doc=1

Black MM, Stockum C, Dickson JM, J Putterill, Arcus VL (2011). Expression, purification and characterisation of GIGANTEA: A circadian clock controlled regulator of photoperiodic flowering in plants.. PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION 76: 197-204.
http://apps.isiknowledge.com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/full_record.do?product=WOS&search_mode=GeneralSearch&qid=1&SID=P1lGIO1IAfe2OkBMA38&page=1&doc=2

J Putterill, C Stockum, G Warman. (2010). Photoperiodic flowering in the long day plant Arabidopsis thaliana. (Ed Nelson, R.J, Denlinger, D.L and Somers, D.E).. In Photoperiodism: The Biological Calendar. Oxford University Press, USA. 9-37..

E Tacken, H Ireland, K Gunaseelan, S Karunairetnam, D Wang, K Schultz, J Bowen, R G Atkinson, J W Johnston, J Putterill, R P Hellens and R J Schaffer. (2010). The role of ethylene and cold temperature in the regulation of the apple POLYGALACTURONASE 1 gene and fruit softening.. Plant Physiology 10.1104/pp.109.151092. 2010 .

M Gunl, F M Liew, David K.M., J Putterill. (2009). Analysis of a post-translational steroid induction system for GIGANTEA in Arabidopsis. BMC Plant Biology 9:141. 2009.

ESPLEY RV, BRENDOLISE, C., CHAGNÉ D, KUTTY-AMMA S, GREEN, S., VOLZ R, PUTTERILL J, SCHOUTEN HJ, GARDINER SE, HELLENS RP, ALLAN AC (2009) (2009). Multiple Repeats of a Promoter Segment Causes Transcription Factor Autoregulation in Red Apples.. Plant Cell 21 168-183.

KIM WY, FUJIWARA S, SUH SS, KIM J, KIM Y, HAN LQ, DAVID K, PUTTERILL J, NAM HG SOMERS DE (2007). ZEITLUPE is a circadian photoreceptor stabilized by GIGANTEA in blue light. Nature 449, 356-360. 2007.

K A Oliverio, M Crepy, E L Martin-Tryon, R Milich, S L Harmer, J Putterill, M J Yanovsky, JJ Casal. (2007). GIGANTEA regulates phytochrome A-mediated photomorphogenesis independently of its role in the circadian clock.. Plant Physiology 144, 495-502. 2007.

Kim W.Y., Fujiwara S., Suh S.S., Kim J., Kim Y., Han L., David K.M., Putterill J., Nam H.G. and Somers D.E (2007). ZEITLUPE is a circadian photoreceptor stabilized by GIGANTEA in blue light. Nature, 449: 356-60.

David K.M., Armbruster U, Tama N, Putterill J (2006). Arabidopsis GIGANTEA protein is post-transcriptionally regulated by light and dark. FEBS Lett. 580:1193-1197.

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