Differential expression of several xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes regulates flower opening and petal abscission in roses

Flower opening is a process that requires movement of petals from a closed position to a horizontal open position, while petal abscission requires cell-wall disassembly. Both processes are controlled by ethylene and require cell-wall modification at the junction (abscission zone) of the petal and thalamus to facilitate the movement or separation of petals. In the present study, a family of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) genes was studied to understand their role in petal abscission in flowers of Rosa bourboniana (ethylene sensitive, early abscising) and Rosa hybrida (less ethylene sensitive, late abscising). Transcriptome sequencing of petal abscission zone cDNA was performed at different time points (ethylene treated and untreated) and screened for XTH genes. The study identified nine new XTH genes that showed differential changes in gene expression during flower opening and abscission. Of these, RbXTH3, RbXTH5, RbXTH6 and RbXTH12 were rapidly induced by ethylene within 1–4 h of ethylene treatment, corresponding to the period of flower opening. These genes also showed an early up-regulation during flower opening under ethylene-untreated (field abscission) conditions, indicating a possible role in anthesis and petal movement during flower opening. Other genes such as RbXTH4 and RbXTH9 were up-regulated later at 8–12 h after ethylene treatment and at 24–36 h under natural abscission conditions, indicating a possible role in abscission. Treatment with a higher ethylene dose (15 µL L(−1) ethylene) accelerated abscission, leading to higher steady-state levels of XTH gene transcripts at an earlier time point compared with 0.5 µL L(−1) ethylene. In contrast, transcript accumulation of most of the XTHs was considerably delayed in the late-abscising rose, R. hybrida, in keeping with the slower flower opening and delayed petal abscission. The results suggest coordinated action of different XTHs in cell-wall modification of xyloglucan moieties during flower opening as well as cell separation during abscission.