Richard Amasino
Professor of Biochemistry
Ph.D., Indiana University, 1979-82
Postdoctoral Research: University of Washington
Address: 215B Biochemistry Addn
Telephone: 262-4704
E-mail: amasino@biochem.wisc.edu
Research Interests:
Regulation of flowering time and leaf senescence
Research Fields:
Arabidopsis
Plant Genetics
Developmental Genetics
Research Description: The major developmental change in the plant life cycle is the initiation of flowering. Many plant species have evolved the ability to regulate flowering in response to environmental variables such as changes in day-length or temperature. However, the biochemical mechanisms by which plants sense and respond to environmental cues are unknown. By genetic analysis, we have identified several genes that are involved in the regulation of floral induction in Arabidopsis thaliana. For example, we recently identified a gene (FLC) that prevents flowering in biennials unless they have experienced the cold of winter. Exposure to cold promotes flowering in biennials by a stable epigenetic switch of FLC to a repressed state. This epigenetic state of FLC is reset to an active state in the next generation (a review of this topic entitled “Memories of Winter” is available as a PDF file under List of Recent Publications). One of our long-term goals is to elucidate the signal transduction pathway through which perception of winter leads to an epigenetic switch of gene expression and to flowering. We also have projects on other aspects of flowering-time regulation such as the mechanism of day-length perception.
Representative Publications:
Amasino, R.M. 2004. (Review) Vernalization, competence, and the epigenetic memory of winter. Plant Cell 16: 2553-2559.
Sung, S., Y. He, T.W. Eshoo, Y. Tamada, D. Shultis, L. Johnson, A.M. Lindroth, K. Nakahigashi, K. Goto, S. Khorasanizadeh, S.E. Jacobsen and R.M. Amasino. 2006. Epigenetic maintenance of the vernalized state in Arabidopsis requires like heterochromatin protein 1. Nature Genetics 38: 706-710.
Schmitz, R.J., L. Hong, S. Michaels and R.M. Amasino. 2005. FRIGIDA-ESSENTIAL 1 interacts genetically with FRIGIDA and FRIGIDA-LIKE 1 to promote the winter-annual habit of Arabidopsis thaliana. Development 132: 5471-5478.
Sung, S. and R. M. Amasino. 2004. Vernalization in Arabidopsis thaliana is mediated by the PHD finger protein VIN3. Nature 427: 159-164.
He, Y., M.R. Doyle and R.M. Amasino. 2004. PAF1 complex-mediated histone methylation of FLOWERING LOCUS C chromatin is required for the vernalization-responsive, winter-annual habit in Arabidopsis. Genes Dev. 18: 2774-2784.
Professor of Biochemistry
Ph.D., Indiana University, 1979-82
Postdoctoral Research: University of Washington
Address: 215B Biochemistry Addn
Telephone: 262-4704
E-mail: amasino@biochem.wisc.edu
Research Interests:
Regulation of flowering time and leaf senescence
Research Fields:
Arabidopsis
Plant Genetics
Developmental Genetics
The major developmental change in the plant life cycle is the initiation of flowering. Many plant species have evolved the ability to regulate flowering in response to environmental variables such as changes in day-length or temperature. However, the biochemical mechanisms by which plants sense and respond to environmental cues are unknown. By genetic analysis, we have identified several genes that are involved in the regulation of floral induction in Arabidopsis thaliana. For example, we recently identified a gene (FLC) that prevents flowering in biennials unless they have experienced the cold of winter. Exposure to cold promotes flowering in biennials by a stable epigenetic switch of FLC to a repressed state. This epigenetic state of FLC is reset to an active state in the next generation (a review of this topic entitled “Memories of Winter” is available as a PDF file under List of Recent Publications). One of our long-term goals is to elucidate the signal transduction pathway through which perception of winter leads to an epigenetic switch of gene expression and to flowering. We also have projects on other aspects of flowering-time regulation such as the mechanism of day-length perception.
Amasino, R.M. 2004. (Review) Vernalization, competence, and the epigenetic memory of winter. Plant Cell 16: 2553-2559.
