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AGL6-like MADS-box genes are sister to AGL2-like MADS-box genes

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Abstract

AGL6-like genes form one of the major subfamilies of MADS-box genes and are closely related to the AGL2 (Eclass) and SQUA (A-class) subfamilies. In Arabidopsis, AGL6 and AGL13 have been reported from the AGL6 subfamily, and AGL6 controls lateral organ development and flowering time. However, little is known about homologs of these genes in basal angiosperms. We identified new AGL6-like genes from several taxa from gymnosperms, basal angiosperms, monocots, and eudicots. These genes were analyzed together with previously reported AGL6-like genes. Structural analyses showed 1) a one-aa (amino acid) gap in the I-domain in all AGL6-like genes relative to AGL2-like and SQUA-like genes, 2) a seven-aa insertion in the C-domain of genes from asterids, and 3) a one-aa insertion in the C-domain of genes from gymnosperms. Broad phylogenetic analyses strongly showed that AGL6-like genes are sister to AGL2-like genes, and SQUA-like genes are sister to these two groups. The phylogenetic tree of AGL6-like genes generally tracks organismal phylogeny as inferred from multigene data sets; several gene duplications were detected in angiosperms (e.g., within Magnoliales), and one duplication was detected in gymnosperms. We hypothesize that the split between AGL6-like and AGL2-like genes occurred at least 290–309.2 mya based on our phylogenetic tree and the fossil record.

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  1. School of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, and Basic Science Institute, Sungshin University, Seoul, 142-732, Korea

    Sangtae Kim

  2. Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7800, USA

    Pamela S. Soltis & Douglas E. Soltis

  3. Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7800, USA

    Douglas E. Soltis

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Kim, S., Soltis, P.S. & Soltis, D.E. AGL6-like MADS-box genes are sister to AGL2-like MADS-box genes. J. Plant Biol. 56, 315–325 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-013-0147-x

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