Genetic control of flowering time

"This PhD project will build upon foundational research conducted in our lab exploring the molecular mechanisms by which plants determine the appropriate time to transition from vegetative growth to flowering. This developmental switch is critical for reproductive success and is tightly regulated by environmental and endogenous signals. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, two closely related mobile proteins, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1), play key and antagonistic roles in this process.
FT acts as a potent floral inducer, often referred to as the ""florigen,"" which travels from the leaves to the shoot apical meristem (SAM) to initiate flowering. In contrast, TFL1 functions as a repressor of flowering, maintaining the indeterminate growth of the meristem. Despite their structural similarity, FT and TFL1 exert opposing effects on flowering, largely due to differences in their interacting partners and their ability to modulate transcriptional networks at the SAM.
The primary aim of this project is to investigate the molecular basis of FT-TFL1 antagonism and to elucidate how this balance is modulated to fine-tune flowering time. A particular focus will be placed on identifying and characterizing the protein complexes that interact with FT and TFL1, and determining how these interactions influence their regulatory activity.
Key objectives will include:
Identifying novel protein interactors of FT and TFL1 using techniques such as yeast two-hybrid screening, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and mass spectrometry.
Investigating the functional consequences of these interactions using mutant analysis and transgenic lines.
Exploring how environmental cues (e.g., photoperiod, temperature) influence the composition and activity of FT and TFL1 protein complexes.
Examining the spatial and temporal dynamics of FT and TFL1 activity in the SAM using live-cell imaging and reporter constructs."