# Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the PEBP Gene Family in Cymbidium sinense Reveals CsFTL3 as a Floral Inhibitor

## TL;DR

This study identifies a gene in the orchid Cymbidium sinense that delays flowering, offering insights into its regulation and potential for breeding.

## Contribution

The study identifies CsFTL3 as a novel floral repressor gene in Cymbidium sinense with unique regulatory features.

## Key findings

- CsFTL3 is a floral inhibitor that delays flowering when overexpressed in Arabidopsis.
- CsFTL3 contains amino acid substitutions that distinguish it from typical flowering promoters.
- CsFTL3 expression is regulated by gibberellin, abscisic acid, and low temperature.

## Abstract

This study comprehensively characterizes the PEBP gene family in Cymbidium sinense, an orchid with a prolonged vegetative phase that limits its industrial production. Genome-wide analysis identified six CsPEBPs, classified into FT-like, TFL1-like, and MFT-like subfamilies. Evolutionary, gene structure, and collinearity analyses revealed both conservation and lineage-specific diversification of these genes. CsFTL3, a distinctive FT-like member, displayed notably high expression during the bud undifferentiated stage, followed by a sharp downregulation upon floral initiation. Functional studies identified CsFTL3 as a key floral repressor. Heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis delayed flowering time from 32.0 days (wild-type) to 63.0–75.3 days (transgenic) and increased rosette leaf number from 12.6 to 33.0–34.5, while its knockdown via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in C. sinense accelerated floral bud development and upregulated flowering-promoter genes. Phylogenetically, CsFTL3 falls within the flowering repressor FT-I clade, and multiple sequence alignment identified critical amino acid substitutions (Y134S, W138L, Q140E) that likely underpin its functional divergence from typical flowering promoters. Furthermore, promoter analysis revealed an enrichment of light-, hormone-, and stress-responsive cis-elements, and its expression was modulated by gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), and low-temperature treatments. Predicted protein–protein interaction and transcriptional regulatory networks provide preliminary insights into its complex regulation. We conclude that CsFTL3 acts as a crucial floral inhibitor, integrating environmental and endogenous cues to repress flowering. These findings offer fundamental insights into the molecular mechanisms of flowering in orchids and provide a valuable genetic resource for molecular breeding programs aimed at achieving precise flowering time control.