Cloning and expression analysis of the FaesAP2 gene from Fagopyrum esculentum(Polygonaceae)

The FaesAG gene,which regulates floral development,was isolated from common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) ‘xinong9976’ using homologous cloning and RACE methods.Results showed that the FaesAG cDNA was 1668 bp long with a 132 bp 5'leader region,162 bp 3'untranslated region with a poly-A tail,and 1374 bp ORF encoding 457 amino acids.Sequence alignment and conceptual translation revealed that FaesAP2 contained two highly conserved AP2 domains and a putative nuclear localization signal in front of the first AP2 domain.Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that FaesAP2 is close to the AP2(APETALA2) transcript factor from Arabidopsis thaliana(L.) Heynh.Expression analysis showed that FaesAP2 was mainly expressed in the developing stamen and gynoecium of the pin and thrum flowers,respectively,but was absent from the developing leaves and tepals.Moreover,FaesAP2 expression persisted throughout all stages of pin and thrum flower bud differentiation.When the anthers rapidly increased in size,FaesAP2 expression reached the highest level in the pin and thrum flowers.These results show that FaesAP2 might be involved in regulating floral organogenesis during Fagopyrum esculentum flower development.