Fig 7. Model of the proposed mode of FLM action.

At 15°C, flowering is delayed due to an active repression of floral activators by FLM-ß-SVP heterodimers. An increased ambient temperature (21°C) results in decreased levels of the transcriptional repressive FLM-ß-SVP protein complexes and floral activator genes are expressed. Flowering in Kil-0 (right) might be accelerated in comparison to Col-0 due to a decreased abundance of FLM-ß at 15°C as well as at 21°C while SVP is unaltered in the different temperatures and between Kil-0 and Col-0. Note that our study suggests a minor role of FLM-δ in the control of flowering time in the lines and conditions examined. The present model assumes that protein abundance follows transcript abundance except for SVP, which is degraded in response to increasing temperature [20].