The research group led by Drs. Federico Valverde and José Mª Romero, both from the Institute of Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis, has shown that the accumulation of transient starch and its composition during the floral transition in Arabidopsis thaliana is regulated by the photoperiod.

The transition from the vegetative to the floral state is crucial for plant reproduction. One of the control routes for the induction of flowering is mediated by the photoperiod (length of the day). Likewise, the floral transition requires a significant contribution of metabolites, especially carbohydrates. Carbon metabolism must therefore be coordinated with the plant development processes through mechanisms that optimize the reproductive success of plants.

The research group of Drs. Valverde and Romero, through a multidisciplinary approach, have shown that the CONSTANS (CO) gene regulates the floral transition through photoperiod, and regulates the level and time at which the gene encoding Granule-Bound Starch Synthase (GBSS) involved in starch synthesis is expressed. These results are a valuable contribution to deepen the knowledge of the flowering process with possible future applications. The authors propose that starch homeostasis is modified by CO and that the action of CO is crucial to increase the mobilization of sugars necessary for the floral transition.

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Source: EUROPA PRESS