STYLOSA and FISTULATA: regulatory components of the homeotic control of Antirrhinum floral organogenesis

Abstract

The identity and developmental pattern of the four organ types constituting the flower is governed by three developmental functions, A, B and C, which are defined by homeotic genes and established in two adjacent whorls. In this report we morphologically and genetically characterise mutants of two genes, STYLOSA (STY) and FISTULATA (FIS) which control floral homeotic meristem- and organ-identity genes and developmental events in all floral whorls. The morphology of the reproductive organs in the first and second whorls of sty fis double mutant flowers indicate that the two genes are part of the mechanism to prevent ectopic expression of the C-function in the perianth of wild-type flowers. This is verified by the detection of the expansion of the expression domain of the class C gene PLENA (PLE) towards the perianth. Interestingly, in the second whorl of sty and fis mutants, spatial differences in stamenoid features and in the pattern of ectopic expression of the PLE gene were observed. This suggests that, with respect to the negative control of PLE, petals are composed of two regions, a lateral and a central one. Mutation in ple is epistatic to most of the sty/fis-related homeotic defects. PLE, however, is not the primary target of STY/FIS control, because dramatic reduction of expression of FIMBRIATA, meristem identity genes (FLORICAULA and SQUAMOSA) and of class B organ identity genes (GLOBOSA) occur before changes in the PLE expression pattern. We propose that STY/FIS are hierarchically high-ranking genes that control cadastral component(s) of the A-function. SQUAMOSA as a potential target of this control is discussed. Retarded growth of second whorl organs, subdivision of third whorl primordia and the failure to initiate them in sty/fis mutants may be mediated by the FIMBRIATA gene.