Abstract:

photoperiod is a crucial ambient factor which controls many development responses in plants. CONSTANS(CO) is a key gene determining the flowering of Arabidosis in photoperiodic pathway. Now, CONSTANS-like(COL) genes with conserved domains have been found in many plants, which control flowering time in different way among the species. In this review, we present (1)the protein structure of CONSTANS, its domains and corresponding function; (2)advances in regulation mechanisms of CO and its function in photoperiodic pathway; and (3)prospects for future research.