Florigen and antiflorigen gene expression correlates with reproductive state in a marine angiosperm, Zostera marina

Florigen and antiflorigen genes within the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family regulate flowering in angiosperms. In eelgrass (Zostera marina), a marine foundation species threatened by climate change, flowering and seed production are crucial for population resilience. Yet, the molecular mechanism underpinning flowering remains unknown. Using phylogenetic analysis and functional assays in Arabidopsis, we identified thirteen PEBP genes in Z. marina (ZmaPEBP) and showed that four genes altered flowering phenotypes when overexpressed. We used quantitative RT-PCR on Z. marina shoots from perennial and annual populations in Willapa Bay, USA, to assess expression of these four genes in different tissues and expression changes throughout the growth season. We demonstrated that ZmaFT2 and ZmaFT4 promote flowering, and ZmaFT9 and ZmaTFL1a repress flowering in Arabidopsis. Across four genetically-assessed sites with eelgrass, ZmaFT2 and ZmaFT4 were expressed in ..., , , # Florigen and antiflorigen gene expression correlates with reproductive state in a marine angiosperm, Zostera marina

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.sbcc2frh0](10.5061/dryad.sbcc2frh0)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset contains the data and code required for analyses in Nolan et al. This dataset includes phylogenetic analyses data for angiosperm PEBP genes, restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD) data, and quantitative RT-PCR data for gene expression analyses of eelgrass samples, collected from Willapa Bay, WA USA.

### Files and variables

#### File: FT_population_map.csv

##### Variables

* Sample: Sample ID number
* Population: Population source of sample: Bay Center (BC), Long Island (LI), Stackpole (ST) Nahcotta Port
* Area: Life history type (Annual or Perennial)

#### File: populations.snps.vcf

**Description:** Raw genotypes for samples used in RADseq after STACKS analysis

#### File: FULLTREE7.0_full.nex

**Description:** Full alignment of sequ...,