Ectopic expression of the rose AGAMOUS-like MADS-box genes 'MASAKO C1 and D1' causes similar homeotic transformation of sepal and petal in Arabidopsis and sepal in Torenia

Previously, we isolated AGAMOUS (AG) homologues MASAKO C1 and D1 from the wild rose, Rosa rugosa Thunb. ex Murray. To understand the functional difference between MASAKO C1 and D1, the effect on the floral and vegetative development of each gene was investigated using transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and Torenia fournieri Lind. The transgenic plants with ectopically expressed MASAKO C1 or D1 under the control of a cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter produced flowers with sepal-to-carpel and petal-to-stamen transformation in Arabidopsis and sepal-to-carpel transformation in Torenia. These results suggest that both genes have similar function and are involved in stamen and carpel identification in the rose. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.