Assessing the role of REM13, REM34 and REM46 during the transition to the reproductive phase in Arabidopsis thaliana

Key messageREM13, REM34 and REM46 were selected, through co-expression analysis of the whole REM family, as involved in flowering time regulation and show alteration in the cell division rate during this process. REM (reproductive meristem) transcription factors have been proposed as regulators of plant reproductive development mainly based on their specific expression patterns in reproductive structures, but their roles are still largely unknown probably because of their redundancy. We selected three REM genes (REM13, REM34 and REM46) for functional analysis, based on their genome position and/or co-expression data.Our results suggest that these genes have a role in flowering time regulation and may modulate cell cycle progression. In addition, protein interaction experiments revealed that REM34 and REM46 interact with each other, suggesting that they might work cooperatively to regulate cell division during inflorescence meristem commitment.Previous attempts of using co-expression data as a guide for functional analysis of REMs were limited by the transcriptomic data available at the time. Our results uncover previously unknown functions of three members of the REM family of Arabidopsis thaliana and open the door to more comprehensive studies of the REM family, where the combination of co-expression analysis followed by functional studies might contribute to uncovering the biological roles of these proteins and the relationship among them.

Automated summary

REM13, REM34 and REM46 were identified as genes involved in flowering time regulation and cell division rate during this process through co-expression analysis of the REM family. It was found that REM34 and REM46 interact with each other and may work together to regulate cell division. These findings provide new insights into the functional analysis of the REM family and their biological roles.