Fig. 6

Phenotype analysis of atring1a;atring1b;stm-7 and atring1a;atring1b;as1 triple mutant during carpel development. a–l Phenotype analysis of atring1a;atring1b;stm-7 triple mutant. a Inflorescence stem with clusters of rosette-like leaves in stm-7 mutant. b Absence of carpel within the central whorl of a typical stm-7 flower. c Flower replaces leaf development in the inflorescence of atring1a;atring1b;stm-7 triple mutant. d, e A typical triple mutant flower at maturation (d) displays defective and unclosed carpel development (e). f Unclosed carpel. g Closed carpel. h–j Longitudinal section shows defective carpel development (arrowheads) in early stages of triple mutant. k Carpelloid sepal in triple mutant. l Expression levels of KNOX-I genes in atring1a;atring1b;stm-7 triple mutant as compared with stm-7 mutant (Student’s t test, **p < 0.01). Error bars represent SD from three biological replicates. m–v Flower phenotype analysis of atring1a;atring1b;as1-1 triple mutant. m as1-1 flower harboring slightly shorter outer floral organs. n Outgrowth of outer floral organs is severely repressed. o Stigmatic papilla-like structures develop from the sepal margin. p, q Overproliferated placenta-like outgrowths extend from inside the sepals. q Close-up view of p. r Several style-stigma structures grow from the side of the central gynoecium. s A complete gynoecium grows out from within another unfused one. t, u Typical atring1a;atring1b;as1-1 flower producing two floral axes. Reiterations of carpels, ovules, or stigmatic tissues occur along the floral axis (u). v Elevated BP and KNAT2 expression in the floral buds of atring1a;atring1b;as1-1 triple mutant compared with atring1a;atring1b double mutant detected by qRT-PCR (Student’s t test, **p < 0.01). Error bars represent SD from three biological replicates. Bar = 500 μm, except 1 cm in a and c, 50 μm in h–j, and 1 mm in s–u