BACKGROUND The receptor-like kinase FEROINA (FER) plays a crucial role in controlling plant vegetative growth partially by sensing the rapid alkalinization factor (RALF) peptide. However, the role of RALF1-FER in the vegetative-reproductive growth transition remains unknown. Here, we analyze the mechanism through which FER affects the flowering time in Arabidopsis. RESULTS We found that the FER mRNA levels exhibit an oscillating pattern with a diurnal rhythm and that the clock oscillator CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1) up-regulates the expression of FER by associating with its chromatin. In addition, FER expression is regulated by clock genes, and FER also modulates the expression patterns of clock genes. Consistent with its gene expression pattern, FER positively regulates flowering by modulating the transcript accumulation and mRNA alternative splicing of certain flowering-related genes, including FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and its homolog MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING (MAF). However, the RALF1 ligand negatively regulates flowering compared with FER. CONCLUSIONS We found that FER, which is up-regulated by CCA1, controls the flowering time by regulating the transcript accumulation and mRNA alternative splicing (AS) of some important flowering genes, and these findings link FER to the floral transition.

中文翻译：

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受体激酶FERONIA调节拟南芥的开花时间。

背景技术受体样激酶FEROINA（FER）通过感应快速碱化因子（RALF）肽在部分控制植物营养生长中起关键作用。但是，RALF1-FER在营养繁殖生长过渡中的作用仍然未知。在这里，我们分析了FER影响拟南芥开花时间的机制。结果我们发现FER mRNA水平呈昼夜节律振荡，而时钟振荡器CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1（CCA1）通过与其染色质相关而上调FER的表达。另外，FER的表达受时钟基因调节，FER也调节时钟基因的表达模式。与其基因表达方式一致，FER通过调节某些开花相关基因（包括FLOWERING LOCUS C（FLC）及其同系物MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING（MAF））的转录物积累和mRNA选择性剪接来积极调节开花。但是，与FER相比，RALF1配体负调节开花。结论我们发现受CCA1上调的FER通过调节某些重要开花基因的转录物积累和mRNA选择性剪接（AS）来控制开花时间，这些发现将FER与花期过渡联系起来。