Korea University Professor Jihoon Ahn’s team, “The era of controlling the flowering time is coming!”

[한국강사신문 한상형 기자] Korea University (President Jin-taek Jeong) announced on the 28th that the world’s first research result to identify the mechanism of flowering control of flowers was published amid growing global interest in climate change.

A research team led by Professor Ji-Hoon Ahn, Department of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Korea University has identified for the first time in the world the mechanism for controlling flowering in response to atmospheric temperature by identifying how the flowering-inducing hormone ‘phlorigen’ behaves and moves within cells according to temperature changes. The results of this study were published on September 3 in the world-renowned academic journal ‘Science’.

* 제목 : Florigen sequestration in cellular membranes modulates temperature-responsive flowering

* 저자: HendrySusila1, Snježana Jurić1,2, LuLiu3,4, Katarzyna Gawarecka1, Kyung Sook Chung1, Suhyun Jin1, Soo ‑ Jin Kim1, ZeeshanNasim1, Geummin Youn1, Mi Chung Suh5, Hao Yu3, and Ji Hoon Ah

Professor Jihoon Ahn’s team said that FT protein, a phlorogen, binds to phosphatidylglycerol (PG), one of the phospholipids, and is attached to the cell membrane at low temperatures. It was discovered that FT protein is the first in the world to have the property of binding well to PG, which has a negative charge among several phospholipids, among other phospholipids. In addition, it was found that the FT protein was bound to the lipid bilayer of intracellular organelles with high PG content in the cell.

The research team found that when the functions of enzymes involved in PG biosynthesis were inhibited, the flowering period of plants was advanced regardless of temperature changes. In addition, they found that even when chloroplasts with a high PG content among the intracellular organelles present in the companion cell, the cell where the FT protein is made, were artificially removed, the flowering time was advanced regardless of the temperature change.

Professor Ahn Ji-hoon of Korea University, who led the research, explained the significance of the study, saying, “We have revealed how the flowering-inducing hormone molecules behave in cells according to temperature changes. This will provide insight into the adverse impacts on crop productivity and global ecosystems.”