Identification and Characterization of PpLFL, a Homolog of FLORICAULA/LEAFY in Peach (Prunus persica)

A LEAFY/FLORICAULA (LFY/FLO) homolog PpLFL (Prunus persica LEAFY/FLORICAULA Like) gene was isolated from axillary buds of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cv. Bayuecui) during flower induction period. The open reading frame of PpLFL spanned 1,248 bp, encoding a putative protein of 415 amino acid residues, which was with high similarity (50.48 %-84.69 %) to other FLO/LFY inferred proteins from different species. The spatial expression patterns of PpLFL were detected in axillary buds during the periods of flower induction by using immunohistolocalisation. The results showed that PpLFL gene was mainly expressed during flower induction time, and also in leaf and petal promordia at the SAM. For further functional analysis, the PpLFL was constitutively expressed in the Arabidopsis lfy mutant background, and the results showed that overexpression of PpLFL under the control of CaMV 35S promoter can accelerate flowering and give rise to normal flower organs. Our results suggest that PpLFL might play an important role in flower induction, and could act as a functional flower meristem identity gene in peach.