Silencing microRNA172 delays fruit ripening in apple (Malus domestica) through an AP2-ERF transcriptional regulation mechanism

IF 4.1 2区生物学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Plant Science Pub Date : 2025-08-11 DOI:10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112719

Bin Xia , Jinquan Feng , Yarong Wang , Rongmei Wu , Hengtao Zhang , Zhe Zhou , Zhenli Yan , Andrew P. Gleave , Jia-Long Yao

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

MicroRNA172 (miR172) regulates many processes of plant development, including flowering and fruit growth, yet its function in fruit ripening remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that silencing miR172 in apple (Malus domestica) delays fruit ripening, which correlates with a postponed onset of climacteric ethylene production. At harvest, miR172-silenced fruit displayed lower respiration rates than wild-type (WT) fruit, although these rates re-aligned with WT after 12 weeks of cool storage. Although at harvest miR172-silenced and WT fruit showed similar firmness and levels of soluble solid content, the miR172-silenced fruit maintained greater firmness and a higher level of soluble solid content (SSC) after 12 weeks of post-harvest storage at 0 °C. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed these phenotypic changes to be associated with increased expression of APETALA2 (AP2) homologs MdAP2_1b/2a (miR172 target genes) and an Ethylene Response Factor (ERF) MdERF4, along with reduced expression of ethylene biosynthesis genes MdACS1/ACO1. In a dual luciferase reporter assay, MdAP2_1a/2a activated the MdERF4 promotor in tobacco leaves. These findings, together with existing knowledge that MdERF4 inhibits MdACS1/ACO1 expression, suggest a novel genetic regulatory network involving miR172, MdAP2 and MdERF4 in controlling apple fruit ripening.

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沉默microRNA172通过AP2-ERF转录调控机制延迟苹果果实成熟

MicroRNA172 （miR172）调节植物发育的许多过程，包括开花和果实生长，但其在果实成熟中的功能尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们证明了在苹果（Malus domestica）中沉默miR172会延迟果实成熟，这与更年期乙烯生产的延迟有关。在收获时，mir172沉默的果实比野生型（WT）果实表现出更低的呼吸速率，尽管这些速率在冷藏12周后重新与野生型（WT）一致。虽然在收获时mir172沉默的果实和WT表现出相似的硬度和可溶性固形物含量水平，但mir172沉默的果实在收获后0 °C保存12周后仍保持更大的硬度和更高的可溶性固形物含量（SSC）水平。比较转录组分析显示，这些表型变化与aptala2 （AP2）同源基因MdAP2_1b/2a （miR172靶基因）和乙烯反应因子（ERF） MdERF4的表达增加以及乙烯生物合成基因MdACS1/ACO1的表达减少有关。在双荧光素酶报告基因实验中，MdAP2_1a/2a激活了烟草叶片中的MdERF4启动子。这些发现，再加上MdERF4抑制MdACS1/ACO1表达的现有知识，表明miR172、MdAP2和MdERF4参与控制苹果果实成熟的一个新的遗传调控网络。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Plant Science 生物-生化与分子生物学

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

1.90%

发文量

322

审稿时长

33 days

期刊介绍： Plant Science will publish in the minimum of time, research manuscripts as well as commissioned reviews and commentaries recommended by its referees in all areas of experimental plant biology with emphasis in the broad areas of genomics, proteomics, biochemistry (including enzymology), physiology, cell biology, development, genetics, functional plant breeding, systems biology and the interaction of plants with the environment. Manuscripts for full consideration should be written concisely and essentially as a final report. The main criterion for publication is that the manuscript must contain original and significant insights that lead to a better understanding of fundamental plant biology. Papers centering on plant cell culture should be of interest to a wide audience and methods employed result in a substantial improvement over existing established techniques and approaches. Methods papers are welcome only when the technique(s) described is novel or provides a major advancement of established protocols.