ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Functional and Applied Plant Genomics
Functional characterization of EjAP1-like1 reveals its role in floral development and flowering time regulation in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
Provisionally accepted
Yuanyuan Jiang1*
Yifang Wang1Chongbin Zhao2
Xiaoyan Yang1
Bin Wang1
Ze Peng2
Xianghui Yang2
Chongjian Ma1*
Yuan YUAN1*- 1Henry Fok School of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, China
- 2South China Agricultural University College of Horticulture, Guangzhou, China
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APETALA1 (AP1), a member of the MADS-box transcription factor family, plays a pivotal role in floral meristem identity and organ formation. In this study, we identified and cloned a novel AP1 homolog gene, EjAP1-like1, from loquat. The gene encodes a 262-amino acid protein with a typical MADS-box domain and shares close phylogenetic relationships with known flowering-related AP1 homologs, suggesting a conserved role in flowering regulation. Promoter analysis revealed multiple cis-acting elements responsive to light, GA, MeJA, and drought. Expression profiling showed that EjAP1-like1 is highly expressed in the shoot apical meristem during floral induction, and its expression is modulated by GA₃ treatment and short-day photoperiod. Subcellular localization confirmed its nuclear localization. Moreover, ectopic expression of EjAP1-like1 in Arabidopsis thaliana led to significantly earlier flowering. Collectively, these findings highlight EjAP1-like1 as a potential floral inducer in loquat and offer a useful genetic resource for understanding and manipulating flowering time in woody fruit crops.
Keywords: Loquat, gene cloning, flowering, Molecular mechanisms, Ap1
Received: 25 Sep 2025; Accepted: 24 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jiang, Wang, Zhao, Yang, Wang, Peng, Yang, Ma and YUAN. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Yuanyuan Jiang
Chongjian Ma
Yuan YUAN
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