Cloning and Functional Verification of CmRAX2 Gene Associated with Chrysanthemum Lateral Branches Development

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium), as one of the four major cut flowers in the world, occupies a large position in the world’s fresh cut flower market. The RAX2 gene is an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that is associated with the development of the axillary bud. In this study, the CmRAX2 gene cloned by homologous cloning in Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Jinba’ is localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm, having a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1050 bp and encoding 350 amino acids. The transactivation assay in yeast indicates that CmRAX2 is a transcriptional activator. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) Analysis indicated that CmRAX2 was preferentially expressed in the lateral branches and roots of Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Jinba’, 14.11 and 10.69 times more than in leaves. After the overexpression vector of CmRAX2 was constructed and transformed into Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Jinba’, it was found that the number of lateral branches and plant height increased, and the emergence time of lateral branches and rooting time advanced after the overexpression of CmRAX2. The results showed that CmRAX2 can promote the lateral bud development of the chrysanthemum, which provides an important theoretical basis for the subsequent molecular breeding and standardized production of the chrysanthemum.