FIGURE 4.

Overexpression of EjRAV1 and EjRAV2 delay flowering and promote stem branching in Arabidopsis thaliana. (A) EjRAV1-OE and EjRAV2-OE delay flowering in Col-0 ecotype Arabidopsis. (B) The juvenile length (days to bolting) of all the overexpressed lines were strikingly prolonged. (C) The numbers of rosette leaves were greatly increased in the EjRAV1/2-OE lines. (D) EjRAV1-OE and EjRAV2-OE promoted lateral branching. (E) The phenotypes of Col-0 and EjRAV1/2-OE transgenic Arabidopsis plants. The ectopic expression of EjRAV1/2 was not only involved in the regulation of plant architecture (see leaf floral and axis branch numbers) but also associated with strong root system. Arrows indicate the growing point of the primary branch. (F) EjRAV1/2-OE activated anthocyanin accumulation in petiole and stem. Arrows represent abundant anthocyanin enriched in the basal parts of petiole and stem. (G) EjRAV1-OE and EjRAV2-OE repressed the expressions of flower inducer genes (FT, SOC1, AP1, and LFY) in Arabidopsis. (H) EjRAV2-OE rescues the phenotype of tem2 mutant (Col-0 background) to Col-0 at 4 weeks post germination. The (I) juvenile lengths and (J) rosette leaf numbers of the EjRAV2-OE transgenic plants (on tem2 background). The ** and *** indicate significant differences at P < 0.01 and < 0.001. The error bars in (B–D,I,J) represent standard deviation for 15 T₃ plants. The error bars in (G) represent standard deviation for three replicates.