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The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) homologue of the LEAFY/FLORICAULA gene is preferentially expressed in both male and female floral meristems.

Dornelas MC, Rodriguez AP

Universidade de São Paulo, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Laboratório de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Av. Centenário, 303 CEP 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. mcdornel@cena.usp.br

The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) is an important source of natural rubber in tropical regions and, as with many woody species, shows a long juvenile phase. To understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive process in rubber trees, H. brasiliensis RRIM600 flower and inflorescence development have been characterized, the rubber tree FLORICAULA/LEAFY (FLO/LFY) orthologue, HbLFY, cloned, and its expression patterns were analysed during vegetative and reproductive development. The rubber tree, similar to other Euphorbiaceae species, produces lateral inflorescences containing male, female, and bisexual flowers. HbLFY is expressed in lateral meristems that give rise to inflorescences and in all flower meristems, consistent with a role in reproductive development. Complementation studies using Arabidopsis lfy mutants indicated that the biological function of LFY might be conserved among Brassicaceae and Euphorbiaceae species.

Published 13 June 2005 in J Exp Bot, 56(417): 1965-74.
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