Transient activity of the florigen complex during the floral transition in Arabidopsis thaliana

ABSTRACT FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) is an essential component of florigen in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transcription of FT is induced in leaves, and the resulting FT protein is transported to the shoot apex, in which it initiates floral development. Previous analyses suggest that, together with the b-ZIP transcription factor FD, FT regulates the transcription of downstream targets such as APETALA1 (AP1) in floral anlagen. However, conclusive in vivo evidence that FT is transported to the shoot apex to form an FT–FD complex is lacking. Here, using an innovative in vivo imaging technique, we show that the FT–FD complex and AP1 colocalise in floral anlagen. In addition, the FT–FD complex disappears soon after the floral transition owing to a reduction in FD transcripts in the shoot apex. We further show that misinduction of FD activity after the transition leads to defective reproductive development. Taken together, our results indicate that the FT–FD complex functions as a transient stimulus and imply that a regulatory mechanism exists during the floral transition that reduces FT–FD complex levels via modulation of FD expression.