More than Florigen: Exploring the Role of PEBP Proteins in Tulip Reproduction and Beyond

Summary

In my PhD thesis in the field of plant molecular biology, I focused on understanding the molecular processes underlying flowering and bulb formation in tulips (Tulipa gesneriana). By investigating the role of PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE-BINDING PROTEINS (PEBP), I strongly suggest that genes similar to FT, a key flowering determinant in many plants, regulate both bulb outgrowth and flower induction in tulips. Additionally, I explored certain PEBP genes which derive from a natural event of gene transfer from bacteria to an ancestral plant and seem to have contributed to plant reproduction ever since. This research expands our knowledge of tulip biology and provides insights into the broader functions of PEBP proteins in plants. By uncovering the molecular regulators of tulip reproduction, this work has implications for breeding and tulip production. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of plant reproduction and may guide future research in this field.