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Summary: Identi®cation of a MADS-box gene, FLOWERING LOCUS M,
that represses ¯owering
Katia C. Scortecci1,2
, Scott D. Michaels1
and Richard M. Amasino1,*
1
Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1544, USA, and
2
Departamento de BotaÃnica, Instituto de BiocieÃncias, Universidade de SaÄo Paulo, Rua do MataÄo No. 277, SaÄo Paulo/SP,
CEP-05508-900, Brazil
Received 29 November 2000; revised 13 February 2001; accepted 20 February 2001.
*
For correspondence (fax +1 608 262 3453; e-mail amasino@biochem.wisc.edu).
Summary
The timing of ¯owering is important for the reproductive success of plants. Here we describe the
identi®cation and characterization of a new MADS-box gene, FLOWERING LOCUS M (FLM), which is
involved in the transition from vegetative to reproductive development. FLM is similar in amino-acid
sequence to FLC, another MADS-box gene involved in ¯owering-time control. ¯m mutants are early
¯owering in both inductive and non-inductive photoperiods, and ¯owering time is sensitive to FLM
dosage. FLM overexpression produces late-¯owering plants. Thus FLM acts as an inhibitor of ¯owering.
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