The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and their
corresponding encoded polypeptides able to confer the trait of altered
flowering time in plants. The present invention further relates to using
the nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides to make transgenic plants,
plant cells, plant materials or seeds of a plant having flowering times
that are altered with respect to wild-type plants grown under similar
conditions. Altered flowering time includes both plants having an early
flowering time and a late flowering time with respect to wild-type plants
grown under similar conditions. Flowering time in plants may be altered
either with respect to the normal time at which wild-type plants flower
within their normal life cycle or altered temporally such that the entire
life cycle of the plant is accelerated or prolonged using the nucleic
acid molecules and polypeptides of the present invention.