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Volume 15
Issue 1
10.3390/plants15010011
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

The Function of RcAG2 and RcFUL in the Flower Shape Change of Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’

by
Jinfeng Zhang
1,2,†,
Hui Liao
2,†,
Yipeng Yang
2,†,
Xixi Zhang
2,
Caijie Yi
2,
Lina Song
2,
Zijing Li
2,
Hua Zhang
2,* and
Peng Ji
1,*
1
College of Horticulture, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163318, China
2
Institute of Botany, Beijing Academy of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors.
Plants 2026, 15(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010011 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 6 November 2025 / Revised: 14 December 2025 / Accepted: 17 December 2025 / Published: 19 December 2025
Versions Notes

Abstract

The floral morphology of Rosa chinensis significantly influences its ornamental value. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying specific floral types remain poorly understood. Viridiflora, a stable genetic variant of R. chinensis, exhibits homeotic transformation of floral organs into sepal-like structures, providing a valuable model for studying floral organ identity and development. In this study, Viridiflora was compared with Old Blush to elucidate floral development through morphological observation, transcriptomic profiling, and functional genetics. Four distinct developmental stages were defined, encompassing the formation of sepal, petal, stamen, and pistil primordia. Transcriptome analysis identified candidate genes associated with the Viridiflora phenotype, among which RcAGAMOUS2 (RcAG2) and RcFRUITFULL (RcFUL) were selected for in-depth functional characterization. The proteins encoded by these two genes are hydrophilic, lack signal peptides and transmembrane domains, and contain multiple phosphorylation sites. They feature typical MADS-box family domains and show close phylogenetic affinity to Rosa rugosa. Subcellular localization showed their nuclear presence. Heterologous overexpression of RcAG2 and RcFUL in Arabidopsis resulted in notable phenotypic alterations: RcAG2 caused petal reduction and stamen exposure, while RcFUL led to greenish, leaf-like petals with pigmentation gradients, increased sepal number, and failed seed set. Conclusion: These results suggest that RcAG2 and RcFUL play key roles in floral organ development through genetic regulation, providing a theoretical foundation for further research on floral development in R. chinensis.
Keywords: Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’; flower type; flower development; RcAG2; RcFUL Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’; flower type; flower development; RcAG2; RcFUL

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, J.; Liao, H.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, X.; Yi, C.; Song, L.; Li, Z.; Zhang, H.; Ji, P. The Function of RcAG2 and RcFUL in the Flower Shape Change of Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’. Plants 2026, 15, 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010011

AMA Style

Zhang J, Liao H, Yang Y, Zhang X, Yi C, Song L, Li Z, Zhang H, Ji P. The Function of RcAG2 and RcFUL in the Flower Shape Change of Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’. Plants. 2026; 15(1):11. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010011

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Jinfeng, Hui Liao, Yipeng Yang, Xixi Zhang, Caijie Yi, Lina Song, Zijing Li, Hua Zhang, and Peng Ji. 2026. "The Function of RcAG2 and RcFUL in the Flower Shape Change of Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’" Plants 15, no. 1: 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010011

APA Style

Zhang, J., Liao, H., Yang, Y., Zhang, X., Yi, C., Song, L., Li, Z., Zhang, H., & Ji, P. (2026). The Function of RcAG2 and RcFUL in the Flower Shape Change of Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’. Plants, 15(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15010011

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