Citation
Vernalization, Competence, and the Epigenetic Memory of Winter
TL;DR
FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) is a flowering repressor gene
This research characterized in detail how the FLOWERING LOCUS C gene is epigenetically silenced by prolonged cold exposure, explaining the molecular mechanism behind vernalization. Understanding how plants 'remember' winter through accumulated epigenetic marks provides a powerful model for how organizations accumulate experience that eventually enables transformation.
The discovery that flowering is controlled by a two-signal system (vernalization removes the block, photoperiod activates flowering) offers strategic insight: major transitions require multiple validation signals, not just one trigger.
Key Findings from Amasino (2004)
- FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) is a flowering repressor gene
- Cold exposure triggers epigenetic silencing of FLC through chemical tags
- Tags accumulate progressively during winter (4-8 weeks required)
- Vernalization creates 'memory' of winter that persists after warm conditions return
- Two-signal system ensures flowering only after both winter (vernalization) and spring (photoperiod) signals received