The transition from floral meristem (FM) to floral organ primordia is a fundamental process in flower development, yet its regulatory mechanisms in sunflower remain unclear. In this study, we characterized a sunflower space-mutagenized mutant, crazy broccoli 1 (cb1), in which FM-like structures fail to differentiate into floral organs and maintain meristematic activity throughout development. This defect leads to floral reversion, resulting in an indeterminate inflorescence-like structure consisting of successive whorls of bracts and meristems. Through comparative transcriptomics and expression profile analysis of wild type and cb1 plants, we analyzed the expression dynamics of key gene families in regulating flower development, including APETALA2 (AP2), MADS-box, WUSCHEL (WUS), and LEAFY (LFY). We identified SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP), AGAMOUS (AG), and WUS as central regulators of floral organogenesis. In cb1, elevated SVP represses AG expression, which in turn relieves the repression on WUS transcription. Sustained WUS activity prevents FM termination, leading to repeated formation of meristem-bract whorls. Conversely, in wild type plants, low SVP level permits high AG expression, which suppresses WUS transcription and ensures timely FM termination and normal floral organogenesis. These findings provide clues for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying FM transition and floral organ determinacy in sunflower.

The initiation of floral organ primordia at the peripheral zone of the floral meristem (FM) is a fundamental process in flower development, yet its regulatory mechanisms in sunflower remain unclear. In this study, we characterized a sunflower space-mutagenized mutant, crazy broccoli 1 (cb1), in which FM-like structures fail to generate floral organs and maintain meristematic activity throughout development. This defect leads to floral development malformation, resulting in an indeterminate FM-like structure consisting of successive whorls of bracts and meristems. Through comparative transcriptomics and expression profile analysis of wild type and cb1 plants, we analyzed the expression dynamics of key gene families in regulating flower development, including APETALA2 (AP2), MADS-box, WUSCHEL (WUS), and LEAFY (LFY). We identified LFY, SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP), AGAMOUS (AG), and WUS as central regulators of floral organogenesis. In cb1, elevated LFY and SVP-like transcription represses AG-like expression, which in turn relieves the repression on WUS-like. Sustained WUS-like activity prevents FM termination, leading to repeated formation of meristem-bract whorls. Conversely, in wild type plants, low LFY and SVP-like levels permit high AG-like expression, which suppresses WUS-like transcription and ensures timely FM termination and normal floral organogenesis. These findings provide clues for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying FM activity and floral organogenesis in sunflower.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. is a traditional Chinese medicinal rich in phenolic acids and tanshinones, which have significant therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Climate change has led to an increase in global water and drought disasters, significantly impacting the growth of medicinal plants and the synthesis of their active components. Therefore, we focused on investigating the effects of soil moisture stress on the growth and accumulation of effective components in S. miltiorrhiza. Results indicated that S. miltiorrhiza can survive at a soil relative water content (SRWC) ranging from 75 % to 35 %; however, its growth, physiological indicators, and effective components content were significantly affected by SRWC. The optimal SRWC for S. miltiorrhiza was found to be between 55 % and 65 %, under which the contents of salvianolic acid B and total tanshinones were 44.32 56.23 mg/g and 5.58 8.35 mg/g, respectively. Using RNA-seq, we obtained 35,094 unigenes and 7201 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 229 common DEGs across all treatment groups. Through a comparative analysis of the transcriptome and the content of active components with gene expression, we identified 8 genes involved in the biosynthesis of salvianolic acid B and 7 genes involved in the biosynthesis of tanshinones under moisture stress. In summary, reasonable control of soil moisture can ensure the yield and improve the quality of S. miltiorrhiza. This study provides important scientific evidence for the scientific management of water and quality optimization in S. miltiorrhiza cultivation.

While the effects of elevated CO2 (eCO2) on crops have been extensively studied, cultivar-specific responses and impacts under higher CO2 concentrations (>800 μmol/mol) remain unclear. Here, we addressed these two aspects to reveal the effects of eCO2 (approximately 900 μmol/mol) on the yield and quality of three wheat cultivars, Chinese spring (CS), Chuanmai 44 and Neimai 9. The results indicated the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water use efficiency (WUEi) of the three cultivars significantly increased under 900 μmol/mol CO2 concentration. Elevated CO2 increased the hundred-grain weight (HGW) of Chuanmai 44 (+32.51%, p < 0.05) and Neimai 9 (+8.47% p < 0.05), but had little effect on HGW of CS. CO2 elevation significantly increased the N content in the grain of CS (+7.27%, p < 0.05). Elevated CO2 enhanced amino acid biosynthesis in CS but suppressed it in Chuanmai 44 and Neimai 9. No significant changes in grain mineral concentrations occurred in CS and Chuanmai 44 under eCO2 conditions. Neimai 9 demonstrated significant decreases in K and Mg, with non-significant reductions in other elements. The effects of eCO2 on grain yield and quality were closely linked to cultivars. This study will provide insights for understanding effects of CO2 concentration and cultivar interactions on crop growth and selecting wheat cultivar to cope with future climate change.

Auxin and gibberellin significantly influence plant pistil development, but their specific roles in the formation of the three pistils trait in wheat are still unclear. To investigate the effects of auxin and gibberellin on the three pistils trait in wheat, we measured the contents of auxin and gibberellin in young spikes from three pistils wheat (TP and CM28TP) and single pistil wheat (CM28) at three stages. We also performed transcriptome sequencing. A total of 14 different auxins and 7 different gibberellins were detected from all samples, among which the contents of IAA-Glc and GA19 showed significant differences among different samples. The transcriptome sequencing yielded over 1.28 billion clean reads and 3.2 million transcripts. A total of 2,018 and 6,163 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the comparisons of CM28 vs CM28TP and CM28 vs TP, respectively. Through the correlation analysis between auxin, gibberellin, and DEGs, 4 ARF genes, 3 AMI genes, and 3 DELLA genes were identified. These results suggest that IAA-Glc, GA19, and the 10 key genes were crucial factors in the formation of three pistils trait. Further analysis showed that ARF expression level and GA contents were negatively correlated with three pistils trait, while DELLA expression level and auxin contents were positively correlated. This study suggests that auxin and gibberellin signal transduction have an antagonistic relationship during wheat flower development, influencing the formation of the three pistils. This discovery helps further understanding of the mechanism behind the formation of the three pistils trait and provides theoretical support for the cultivation of high-yield wheat. (c) 2024 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicine with extensive distribution and robust adaptability, but comprehensive research on its acid and alkali resistance is presently lacking. This study aimed to analyze the effects of 5 months of continuous pH stress on the physiological and photosynthetic parameters of P. multiflorum, and the content of effective components. Results revealed that pH stress significantly influenced the normal growth, physiological functions, and photosynthetic indicators of P. multiflorum. At soil pH 4.5, the tubers of P. multiflorum exhibited the highest levels of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside (THSG) and total anthraquinones at 5.41% and 0.38%, respectively. However, increased soil pH significantly reduced the content of THSG and total anthraquinones. Reference-free transcriptome analysis was further conducted on P. multiflorum treated at pH 4.5 and 9.5, generating a total of 47,305 unigenes with an N50 of 2118 bp, of which 31,058 (65.65%) were annotated. Additionally, 2472 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Among them, 17 DEGs associated with the biosynthesis of THSG and anthraquinones were screened. A comprehensive analysis of differential gene expression and effective component content demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the content of effective components and the 14 DEGs' expression but a negative correlation with soil pH. This study highlighted the influence of varying soil pH values on the effective component content of P. multiflorum. Specific acidic conditions proved beneficial for the synthesis and accumulation of THSG and total anthraquinones in P. multiflorum, thereby enhancing the quality of the medicinal material.

The development of floral organs, crucial for the establishment of floral symmetry and morphology in higher plants, is regulated by MADS-box genes. In sunflower, the capitulum is comprised of ray and disc florets with various floral organs. In the sunflower long petal mutant (lpm), the abnormal disc (ray-like) floret possesses prolongated petals and degenerated stamens, resulting in a transformation from zygomorphic to actinomorphic symmetry. In this study, we investigated the effect of MADS-box genes on floral organs, particularly on petals, using WT and lpm plants as materials. Based on our RNA-seq data, 29 MADS-box candidate genes were identified, and their roles on floral organ development, especially in petals, were explored, by analyzing the expression levels in various tissues in WT and lpm plants through RNA-sequencing and qPCR. The results suggested that HaMADS3, HaMADS7, and HaMADS8 could regulate petal development in sunflower. High levels of HaMADS3 that relieved the inhibition of cell proliferation, together with low levels of HaMADS7 and HaMADS8, promoted petal prolongation and maintained the morphology of ray florets. In contrast, low levels of HaMADS3 and high levels of HaMADS7 and HaMADS8 repressed petal extension and maintained the morphology of disc florets. Their coordination may contribute to the differentiation of disc and ray florets in sunflower and maintain the balance between attracting pollinators and producing offspring. Meanwhile, Pearson correlation analysis between petal length and expression levels of MADS-box genes further indicated their involvement in petal prolongation. Additionally, the analysis of cis-acting elements indicated that these three MADS-box genes may regulate petal development and floral symmetry establishment by regulating the expression activity of HaCYC2c. Our findings can provide some new understanding of the molecular regulatory network of petal development and floral morphology formation, as well as the differentiation of disc and ray florets in sunflower.

赤霉素2-氧化酶(GA2ox)是赤霉素降解途径的一种关键酶,在茎的伸长中起着关键作用.为探讨GA2ox-A9(Rht18)与Rht16矮秆小麦矮化之间的关系,本研究利用同源克隆方法从硬粒小麦株高近等基因系ANW16F(含矮秆基因Rht16)和高秆材料LD222中分别分离得到GA2ox-A9-1和GA2ox-A9-2基因,并对其进行生物信息学分析和表达模式分析.结果表明,从矮秆ANW16F和高秆LD222克隆得到的GA2ox-A9-1和GA2ox-A9-2基因是位于A和B基因组的两个拷贝基因,均含有3个外显子和2个内含子,编码347个氨基酸.ANW16F和LD222的GA2ox-A9-1蛋白在第89位氨基酸残基存在差异,GA2ox-A9-2蛋白在第87位存在差异.ANW16F和LD222的GA2oxA9-1蛋白与GA2oxA9-2蛋白在第182、186、251、336位的4个氨基酸残基存在差异.GA2ox-A9为亲水性不稳定酸性蛋白,无跨膜结构,二级结构丰富,三级结构预测显示与拟南芥GA2ox 6ku3.1A蛋白的序列相似度高,GA2ox-A9-1蛋白结构完全相同,GA2ox-A9-2蛋白略有不同.系统进化分析显示,GA2ox-A9与野生二粒同源性最高.RT-qPCR结果显示,在拔节期GA2ox-A9在高秆LD222茎中的表达量显著高于ANW16F中的表达量,在孕穗期和抽穗期GA2ox-49在矮秆ANW16F中的表达水平明显高于高秆LD222,推测GA2ox-A9(Rht18)基因参与了 Rht16矮秆小麦的矮化.本研究为进一步探讨Rht16小麦的矮化机理和育种利用提供了理论依据.

[目的]从药用植物秦艽的叶中分离1株内生真菌,并对抗氧化、抑菌等生物学活性进行分析,为进一步研究其作用机理及应用价值提供基础.[方法]用组织分离法从秦艽的叶中分离纯化了1株内生真菌菌株,采用形态学结合rDNA ITS区、LSU基因序列鉴定菌株;采用PCR技术扩增菌株的PKS基因;采用DPPH法检测发酵液的乙酸乙酯萃取物的抗氧化活性,并采用单因素试验优化菌株发酵的最适碳氮源;采用牛津杯法检测发酵液对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠埃希氏杆菌的抑制能力.[结果]结合形态学观察结果和序列对比分析鉴定该内生真菌为链格孢属真菌Alternaria alternata;其发酵液的乙酸乙酯萃取物具有清除DPPH自由基活性,其IC50为2.728 mg/mL,最适发酵的碳氮源分别是麦芽糖和硝酸钾;此外,其发酵液对对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠埃希氏杆菌有抑制作用.[结论]该菌株蕴藏着潜在的抗菌和抗氧化活性物质.

Crop male sterility has great value in theoretical research and breeding application. HTS-1, whose stamens transformed into pistils or pistil-like structures, is an important male sterility material selecting from Chinese Spring three-pistil (CSTP) wheat. However the molecular mechanism of pistillody development in HTS-1 remains a mystery. RNA-seq data of 11 wheat tissues were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), including the stamens of CSTP and the pistils and pistillodic stamen of HTS-1. The Salmon program was utilized to quantify the gene expression levels of the 11 wheat tissues; and gene quantification results were normalized by transcripts per million (TPM). In total, 58,576 genes were used to construct block-wise network by co-expression networks analysis (WGCNA) R package. We obtained all of modules significantly associated with the 11 wheat tissues. AgriGO V2.0 was used to do Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis; and genes and transcription factors (TFs) in these significant modules about wheat pistillody development were identified from GO enrichment results. Basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) was used to align HTS-1 proteins with the published pistillody-related proteins and TFs. Genes about wheat pistillody development were analyzed and validated by qRT-PCR. The MEturquoise, MEsaddlebrown, MEplum, MEcoral1, MElightsteelblue1, and MEdarkslateblue modules were significantly corelated to pistillodic stamen (correlation p < 0.05). Moreover, 206 genes related to carpel development (GO:0048440) or gynoecium development (GO:0048467) were identified only in the MEturquoise module by Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, and 42 of 206 genes were hub genes in MEturquoise module. qRT-PCR results showed that 38 of the 42 hub genes had highly expressed in pistils and pistillodic stamens than in stamens. A total of 15 pistillody development-related proteins were validated by BLAST. Transcription factors (TFs) were also analyzed in the MEturquoise module, and 618 TFs were identified. In total, 56 TFs from 11 families were considered to regulate the development of pistillodic stamen. The co-expression network showed that six of HB and three of BES1 genes were identified in 42 hub genes. This indicated that TFs played important roles in wheat pistillody development. In addition, there were 11 of ethylene-related genes connected with TFs or hub genes, suggesting the important roles of ethylene-related genes in pistillody development. These results provide important insights into the molecular interactions underlying pistillody development.

[目的]本文明确了硬粒小麦ANW16F(Triticum durum,2n =4X =28,AABB)株高与构成因子及部分产量性状的遗传相关性,以及株高与构成因子的数量遗传模型,为Rht16基因的育种利用及后续利用分子标记定位主效QTL提供参考.[方法]利用ANW16F和高秆对照硬粒小麦LD222亲本以及杂交F1代、F2代群体,对株高及其构成因子、部分产量性状等10个农艺性状进行表型特征和相关性分析.[结果]“ANW16F”降秆能力约33.9％,穗下节是株高最主要的构成因素,株高与各茎节均极显著正相关,其中与倒2节相关性最高,其次为穗下节.株高、穗长与小穗数为显著正相关.株高受两对主基因控制,满足加性-显性-上位性遗传模型(B-1模型),以加性效应为主,主基因遗传率86.07％,受环境影响较小.穗下茎节符合两对加性-显性主基因遗传模型(B-2模型).倒2、3、4茎节符合一对加性-显性主基因遗传模型(A-1模型).[结论]综合考虑株高构成比例、相关性分析,以及遗传率的大小,今后在利用Rht16基因进行矮化高产育种时,穗下节和倒2节可作为重要的育种筛选指标,且可在较早期选择.

赤霉素2-氧化酶(GA2-oxidase,GA2ox)是赤霉素降解途径的关键酶,在茎的伸长中起着重要的作用.为探讨GA2ox-A9基因与小麦矮化之间的关系,本研究从硬粒小麦ANW16G(携带Reduced height gene 18, Rht18)和其株高近等基因系LD222两个材料中克隆得到GA2ox-A9基因,分别命名为GA2ox-A9-1和GA2ox-A9-2,并对其在不同发育时期的各个茎节进行了表达模式分析.序列分析显示,两个材料的GA2ox-A9基因均含有3个外显子和2个内含子,开放阅读框全长1 044 bp,编码347个氨基酸,GA2ox-A9-1蛋白在第89位、275位、279位的氨基酸存在差异,GA2ox-A9-2蛋白在第182位、186位、251位、336位的氨基酸存在差异,编码的蛋白均具有2-酮戊二酸依赖性的双加氧酶典型的保守结构域.系统发育分析表明,硬粒小麦GA2ox-A9与其他物种具有较高的进化保守性,且与乌拉尔图最为接近.Real-time PCR结果显示,GA2ox-A9基因在矮秆小麦ANW16G中表达量最高,尤其是在拔节期茎中的表达量远远高于高秆对照LD222,表明与矮化性状有关.本研究结果为进一步研究GA2ox-A9基因的功能和小麦矮化的分子机制提供了理论依据.

为了丰富小麦功能分子标记的数量,为小麦功能基因的定位、比较基因组学、小麦起源和进化等方面的研究奠定基础.从前期利用小麦转录组数据鉴定出的8389个EST-SSR序列中,随机选取585对引物得分大于95的标记进行分析,以川麦42和川农16杂交后自交获得的重组自交系群体为试验材料,利用新开发出的EST-SSR标记,并结合SSR标记和SRAP标记,构建了一张遗传图谱.结果表明,585对EST-SSR引物中有555对能在亲本川麦42和川农16中扩增出稳定清晰的条带,引物有效性为94.87％.其中有44对EST-SSR引物在川麦42和川农16中表现出明显的、稳定的多态性,多态性率为7.93％.所构建的遗传图谱中含有本次新开发的EST-SSR标记的连锁群共12个,由163个标记组成,包括17个EST-SSR标记,73个SSR标记和73个SRAP标记,覆盖小麦基因组长度1551.5 cM,相邻标记之间的平均距离为13.11 cM.本研究丰富了小麦功能分子标记的数量,为小麦功能基因的定位、比较基因组学、小麦起源和进化等方面的研究奠定基础.

射于是我国常见中药之一,又是一类优良的园林观赏植物,具有较好的开发价值.本文从地理分布、分子生物学、栽培育种、化学成分、药理作用及内生真菌等方面综述了近年来国内外对射干的研究进展,并对射干资源的发展前景进行了展望,以期为射干资源的保护与利用提供参考依据.

小麦是重要的粮食作物之一.矮秆小麦因具有抗倒伏等优点,能显著提高小麦粮食产量.硬粒小麦ANW16G是携带矮秆基因Rht 18的四倍体矮秆基因资源.为明确ANW16G株高及其茎节间长性状的遗传模型与基因的作用方式,并估测其主基因、多基因遗传效应与遗传率,本研究选用ANW16G与高秆亲本LD222杂交所得F2世代群体,采用单个分离世代群体的主-多基因遗传分析方法,对株高和茎节间长性状进行数量遗传分析.结果 表明,株高与各节间长均极显著正相关,且与倒一节间长的相关性最高.株高受2对主效基因控制,符合加性-显性-上位性遗传模型(B-1模型),且加性效应＞互作效应＞显性效应,主效基因遗传率较高,达到93.37％.因此,在选种工作中,可以在F2代进行株高性状选择.此外,发现各节间长符合1对主效基因控制的加性-显性遗传模型,加性效应和显性效应同等重要,主效基因遗传率为29.79％～68.99％,受环境影响相对较大.本研究结果为株高相关性状的QTL分析、株高遗传调控机制的阐释以及利用ANW16G进行小麦矮化育种提供了参考.

Background: Crop male sterility has great values in both theoretical research and breeding application. Wheat pistillody-stamen is an important male sterility phenomenon, and HTS-1 is an important pistillody-stamen material. However the molecular mechanism of HTS-1 stamens transformed into pistils or pistil-like structures remains a mystery. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) are widely used to explore hub genes and gene interaction networks from high throughput data in various plants. Results: In the present study, for exploring gene networks associated with wheat pistillody-stamen development, WGCNA was employed to analyze 11 RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data of wheat tissues, including stamens of CSTP, pistils and pistillody-stamen of HTS-1. 19 out of 25 merged modules were highly associated with specific wheat tissues, and the MEdarkseagreen1 module was highly related to wheat pistillody-stamen (correlation with weight r =0.7, correlation p-value p =0.02). Then 180 genes about wheat flower development were identified from the MEdarkseagreen1 module by GO term analysis. Among 180 genes, the hub gene number associated with anther, filament, style, and ovary development were 12, 3, 3, and 10, respectively. We compared the published pistillody related proteins with proteins of HTS-1 by BLAST. A total of 58 pistillody-stamen development associated proteins were validated by BLAST. MADS-box and YABBY transcription factor about pistillody-stamen development were also analyzed in wheat flower. There were 47 of MADS-box and 17 of YABBY transcription factors were identified. BLAST program was used to align the published pistillody associated MADS-box and YABBY transcription factors with transcription factors identified in wheat flower. Totally, 36 of 47 MADS-box and 14 of 17 YABBY transcription factors were considered to regulate the development of pistillody-stamen, which had never been reported yet. Conclusion: These results have systematically identified the key candidate genes about the development of HTS-1 substructures flower. The tissue-specific correlation network analyses provide important insights into the molecular interactions underlying psitillody-stamen development.

Trop2又被称为肿瘤相关钙信号转导因子2(tumor associated calcium signal transducer2)是一种细胞表面糖蛋白,在正常组织中低表达或不表达,但在多种肿瘤(如胰腺癌、结肠癌和乳腺癌等)中高表达,其高表达与肿瘤预后密切相关.Trop2在肿瘤细胞自我更新、增殖、入侵和转化中发挥重要作用,是临床检测肿瘤恶性程度的分子标记和肿瘤治疗的潜在靶点.目前已有多个以Trop2为靶点的药物进入了临床试验研究阶段.该文就Trop2的结构、生理学功能、与肿瘤的关系及其相关药物研发等方面进行综述.

[目的]挖掘有用的射干内生真菌资源,并为其合理利用提供一定的参考依据.[方法]从射干根中分离获得了1株内生真菌,采用形态学和分子生物学手段鉴定其属种,采用菌丝生长速率法测定其发酵液对禾谷镰刀菌和小麦根腐离蠕孢的抑菌作用,并分析该菌株的聚酮合酶基因序列和生物学特性.[结果]结合形态学和ITS序列同源性分析将菌株鉴定为层出镰刀菌(Fusarium proliferatum).该菌株的发酵液对禾谷镰刀菌和小麦根腐离蠕孢的菌丝生长有较好的抑制作用.SG5菌株的PKS氨基酸序列与GenBank所报道的层出镰刀菌的PKS序列相似性为99.7％.菌株最适生长的固体培养基为察氏培养基,最适碳源为蔗糖,最适氮源为硝酸钾,最适pH为7;在NaCl质量分数≤1％的培养基上正常生长.[结论]该拮抗内生真菌是潜在的小麦病原真菌生防菌资源,具有一定的开发与应用价值.

To examine the role of metabolites in wheat stamen and pistil development, metabolomic analyses of pistilloid stamens (PS), pistils (P), and stamens (S) from a novel wheat mutant homologous transformation sterility-1 (HTS-1) and controls from their sib-line CSTP were conducted using base gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Then, the metabolomic data were integrated with previously published transcriptomic data and analysed. In total, 141 annotated metabolites were determined from P, PS and S tissues by comparison with reference standards. A total of 90, 93 and 18 different metabolites were identified in S vs. PS, S vs. P and P vs. PS, respectively. Among the different metabolites, 80 may be associated with stamen and pistil growth. Using integration evaluations of both the previous transcriptome data and the 80 various metabolites, we found two perturbed pathways that significantly affect flower development in plants, namely, the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and cysteine and methionine metabolism. The ethylene synthesis pathway, one key branch of the cysteine and methionine metabolic pathways, could have a pivotal role in pistillody growth involving HTS-1. We found two key enzyme genes in the ethylene synthesis pathway (the SAM synthase gene and the ACC synthase gene) that have higher expression levels in stamens than in pistilloid stamens or pistils. We speculate, that the decrease in ethylene content during stamen development leads to pistillody traits in HTS-1. This study helps elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying stamen and pistil growth in wheat.