SMZ/SNZ and gibberellin signaling are required for nitrate-elicited delay of flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana

The reproductive success of plants largely depends on the correct programming of developmental phase transitions, particularly the shift from vegetative to reproductive growth. The timing of this transition is finely regulated by the integration of an array of environmental and endogenous factors. Nitrogen is the mineral macronutrient that plants require in the largest amount, and as such its availability greatly impacts on many aspects of plant growth and development, including flowering time. We found that nitrate signaling interacts with the age-related and gibberellic acid pathways to control flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana. We revealed that repressors of flowering time belonging to the AP2-Type transcription factor family including SCHLAFMUTZE (SMZ) and SCHNARCHZAPFEN (SNZ) are important regulators of flowering time in response to nitrate. Our results support a model whereby nitrate activates SMZ and SNZ via the gibberellin pathway to repress flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana.Fil: Gras, Diana Ester. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Vidal, Elena A. Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología; Chile. Universidad Mayor; ChileFil: Undurraga, Soledad F. Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología; ChileFil: Riveras, Eleodoro. Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología; ChileFil: Moreno, Sebastián. Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología; ChileFil: Dominguez Figueroa, José. Centre For Plant Biotechnology And Genomics Upm - Inia;Fil: Alabadi, David. Csic-upv - Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Plantas Primo Yufera (ibmcp);Fil: Blázquez, Miguel A. Csic-upv - Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Plantas Primo Yufera (ibmcp);Fil: Medina, Joaquín. Centre For Plant Biotechnology And Genomics Upm - Inia;Fil: Gutiérrez, Rodrigo A. Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología; Chil