Cytosine methylation, methyltransferases and flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Environmental signals such as photoperiod and temperature provide plants with seasonal information, allowing them to time flowering to occur in favourable conditions. Most ecotypes of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana flower earlier in long photoperiods and after prolonged exposure to cold (vernalization). The vernalized state is stable through mitosis, but is not transmitted to progeny, suggesting that the vernalization signal may be transmitted via a modification of DNA such as cytosine methylation. The role of methylation in the vernalization response is investigated in this thesis. ¶ ...