Figure 7. In situ location of TOFL transcripts in vegetative and floral tissues of WT and fa plants.
(a) Longitudinal section of a wild-type vegetative meristem and leaves. Expression is detected in the vegetative meristem (VM) and in the internal face and margins of leaves (L).
(b) Central section of a wild-type vegetative meristem (VM). TOFL expression is detected in both central and peripheral zones of the vegetative meristem, but not in its internal zone. Expression is also observed in the leaf primordium.
(c) Longitudinal sections of a wild-type floral bud (F) and a sympodial meristem (SM). TOFL expression is detected in all floral organ primordia and in the sympodial meristem.
(d) Longitudinal section of a wild-type inflorescence. Hybridization signals are observed in floral meristems (F) at different developmental stages and in provascular bundles (VB).
(e) Longitudinal section of an fa inflorescence. TOFL expression is detected in the meristems of fa.
During the reproductive phase of development, the gene was also detected in all the analysed organs ( Fig. 7c–e). High expression of Tofl was observed in the floral meristem as well as in the sympodial meristem ( Fig. 7c). As in the vegetative meristem, the gene was detected in the peripheral and central zones but no hybridization signals were observed in the internal zone of the floral meristem. Inflorescence branches showed Tofl expression in vascular bundles ( Fig. 7d). During floral development, Tofl transcripts accumulated in primordia of sepals, petals, stamens and carpels, and in developing floral organs ( Fig. 7c,d). As in leaves, Tofl transcripts accumulated only in the internal adaxial face of sepals and petals ( Fig. 7c,d). Tofl expression was detected in the same vegetative tissues of falsiflora plants (data not shown), as well as in the meristems of the inflorescence ( Fig. 7e).