Identification of genes specifically expressed in cauliflower reproductive meristems. Molecular characterization of BoREM1.

Using the meristems of the cauliflower curd as a source of tissue and a series of subtractive hybridizations and amplification reactions, we have constructed a cDNA library highly enriched in cDNAs expressed in reproductive meristems. The analysis of a sample of 250 clones from this library identified 22 cDNA clones corresponding to genes specifically expressed in these cauliflower meristems. Apart from two clones that corresponded to APETALA1, and two other ones showing similarity to different aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, the remaining clones showed no similarity to any sequence in the databases and may correspond to novel genes. One of these clones, BoREM1, was further characterized and found to correspond to a gene encoding a protein with features of regulatory proteins that follows a expression pattern very similar to the LEAFY transcripts.