Köhler, Claudia
- Institutionen för växtbiologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
- Max-Planck-Institut für molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie
Sammanfattning
Angiosperms represent the most abundant and diverse lineage of land plants, and their evolutionary success is closely linked to major reproductive innovations, including the origin of flowers and the embryo-nourishing endosperm. Many of the genes underlying these innovations belong to the MADS-box transcription factor family. While the functions of MIKCC-type MADS-box genes in floral development are well established, this review focuses on the other two lineages, M-type and MIKC*-type genes, and synthesizes recent advances in the understanding of their functional roles and evolutionary histories. M-type genes are key regulators of female gametophyte and endosperm development, indicating that two hallmark features of angiosperms were promoted by distinct MADS-box gene classes. MIKC*-type genes govern pollen development and are phylogenetically more closely related to M-type genes; together, they form the plant-specific Type I clade, which primarily regulates gametophytic programmes. This contrasts with the Type II clade, comprising MIKCC-type genes that diversified to control sporophytic development. Both Type I and Type II clades originated from plant-specific duplications of ancestral MEF2-like genes. Through extensive lineage-specific expansion and diversification, these MADS-box transcription factors have played a central role in plant terrestrialization by integrating stress responses with reproductive development and the patterning of progressively complex body plans.This review synthesizes current knowledge of land plant Type I MADS-box transcription factors, highlighting their evolutionary history and divergence patterns, and the key roles they play in diverse reproductive programmes.
Nyckelord
Endosperm; evo-devo; gametophyte; gene duplication; land plant; M-type; MADS-box transcription factor; MIKC*-type; Type I
Publicerad i
Journal of Experimental Botany
2026
Utgivare: OXFORD UNIV PRESS
SLU författare
UKÄ forskningsämne
Botanik
Publikationens identifierare
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erag134
Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146755