The transcription factor EIN3 is constitutively expressed in miniature roses with differences in postharvest life

The transcription factor EIN3 is part of the ethylene signal transcription pathway in Arabidopsis. To investigate the genes involved in ethylene induced leaf and FLower senescence in Rosa hybrida, a cDNA fragment encoding part of a transcription factor EIN3 homologue, termed RhEIN3, was isolated. The deduced protein EIN3-fragment has 83% and 88% identity to the corresponding region of Arabidopsis EIN3 and EIL1, respectively. The gene RhEIN3 was constitutively and stably expressed in leaves of two cultivars, and during flower senescence in two rose cultivars with differences in flower life, even after ABA or ethylene treatment.