Combinatorial action of Petunia MADS box genes and their protein products

Abstract

During the last two decades enormous progress has been made in our understanding of the genes that control the identity of floral organs. These genes appear to be members of a large family of MADS box transcription factors that are well conserved across angiosperms. Research using Petunia as a model plant has contributed substantially to the discovery of novel MADS box gene functions and to our understanding of how these MADS box transcription factors act. The proteins function together in dimeric and possibly larger protein complexes to control the expression of target genes. This combinatorial action forms the basis of the ABC model for floral organ development and underlies many other developmental processes.