The Plant Journal最新文献

{"title":"A CRISPR/Cas9 mutant resource for OsSm RNA-binding genes in rice","authors":"Xiongxia Jin,&nbsp;Chao Ouyang,&nbsp;Tong Sun,&nbsp;Cong Li,&nbsp;Jinbao Gu,&nbsp;Baoguang An,&nbsp;Zhenyu Wang","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70475","DOIUrl":"10.1111/tpj.70475","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Pre-mRNA, produced by eukaryotic DNA transcription, undergoes splicing by the spliceosome, which removes introns and joins exons to form mRNA. The spliceosome is a large and highly dynamic molecular machine. Its core components include five small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and the various spliceosome-related proteins. The conserved Smith (Sm) complex and the Sm-like proteins (LSm) serve as primary components of the snRNPs. Sm proteins are involved in processes such as pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA degradation, which can regulate gene expression, thereby influencing plant growth, development, and stress responses. While 25 Sm proteins have been identified in rice, their specific roles in regulating rice growth and development remain unclear. In this study, we employed the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit 15 <i>OsSm</i> genes, and 13 mutants were obtained, with mutation rates ranging from 20.83 to 83.87%. In comparison to the wild type (WT), the mutants exhibited dwarfism, reduced tiller numbers, lower seed-setting rates or sterility, and increased susceptibility to diseases. One Sm mutant, <i>ossmf-2</i>, exhibited dwarfism, delayed flowering, and small grains. Through transcriptome analysis, three target genes, <i>OsMRG702</i>, <i>OsRGG2</i>, and <i>OsLA1</i>, were identified. Mutations of the OsSmF protein may lead to the abnormal splicing of these genes and finally lead to the inhibition of growth and development. Our study first edited the <i>OsSm</i> genes and generated a mutant library in rice. Most of the mutants exhibited abnormal growth and development, underscoring the essential roles of OsSm proteins in rice physiology. Furthermore, this work addresses a critical gap in the functional characterization of Sm proteins in rice. The resulting mutant collection offers valuable germplasm resources and lays a theoretical foundation for elucidating the molecular regulatory networks involving spliceosomal components and their target genes in the control of crop growth, development, and reproduction.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"124 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145190531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CsAPRR2 regulates cucumber immature fruit color by coordinating chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis-related gene expression","authors":"Hanqiang Liu,&nbsp;Mingming Cui,&nbsp;Kaihong Hu,&nbsp;Junyi Tan,&nbsp;Yiqun Weng,&nbsp;Yuxuan Ma,&nbsp;Ju Li,&nbsp;Zeqiang Huang,&nbsp;Birong Chen,&nbsp;Huanwen Meng,&nbsp;Yupeng Pan,&nbsp;Zhihui Cheng","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70496","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70496","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Immature fruit color (IFC) of cucumber (<i>Cucumis sativus</i> L.) is an important marketability trait affecting consumer preferences. We previously identified a single-base insertion (−/G) in <i>CsAPRR2</i> that introduces a premature stop codon, leading to loss of the conserved C-terminal GCT box that is essential for protein–protein interactions. This mutation is strongly associated with reduced <i>CsAPRR2</i> expression and white IFC. RNA interference (RNAi) and transgenic overexpression confirmed the critical role of <i>CsAPRR2</i> in regulating IFC. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis and transcriptome profiling identified 225 candidate targets of CsAPRR2, many of which encode thylakoid membrane proteins or key enzymes in chlorophyll biosynthesis. Knockdown of <i>CsAPRR2</i> expression in RNAi plants significantly reduced the expression of these genes, resulting in impaired thylakoid development, lower chloroplast numbers, and reduced pigment content. CsAPRR2 physically interacts with transcription factors CsTCP15 and CsTCP20B in a GCT box–dependent manner, supporting a model in which these interactions contribute to <i>CsAPRR2</i>-mediated regulation of chloroplast development. Notably, a <i>CsTCP20B</i> variant identified in a wild cucumber with light green immature skin and white mature skin supports its involvement in skin color regulation. Together, this work establishes CsAPRR2 as a central regulator of chloroplast biogenesis and immature fruit pigmentation in cucumber and underscores the importance of transcription factor interactions in modulating photosynthesis-related gene expression.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic acetylation of WRKY63 is antagonistically regulated by HAG1 and HDA6 in Arabidopsis thaliana","authors":"Yuan-Hsin Shih,&nbsp;Pei-Yu Lin,&nbsp;Fu-Yu Hung,&nbsp;Keqiang Wu","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70495","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70495","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Lysine acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification that regulates protein function, stability, and subcellular localization. While extensively studied in mammalian systems, its role in plants remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identify the histone acetyltransferase HAG1 and the histone deacetylase HDA6 as key antagonistic regulators of the transcription factor WRKY63 acetylation. Using bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, split-luciferase assays, and co-immunoprecipitation assays, we demonstrate that WRKY63 interacts with HAG1 and HDA6. Furthermore, the N-terminal region of WRKY63 is essential for these interactions. HAG1-mediated acetylation enhances WRKY63 nuclear localization, whereas HDA6-mediated deacetylation reduces its nuclear retention. Moreover, transient transcriptional assays indicate that HDA6 represses WRKY63-mediated transcriptional activation. Our findings highlight the broader significance of lysine acetylation beyond histone modification, uncovering an antagonistic regulatory network that fine-tunes transcription factor activity in plants.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"OsWRKY53 dictates wound responses in rice through fine-tuning crosstalk between PEP and PSK-mediated signalling","authors":"Chitthavalli Y. Harshith,&nbsp;Dipasmit Palchaudhuri,&nbsp;Riju Dey,&nbsp;Steffi Raju,&nbsp;Padubidri V. Shivaprasad","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70481","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70481","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Wounding is a major event during the multitude of stresses that plants face in their natural environment. Wound response is very dynamic and involves the integration of various regulatory networks culminating in successful wound-induced downstream signalling. Plants depend on endogenous molecular signals predominantly, small peptides, to initiate wound responses. Transcriptional response is paramount in dictating a successful wound response. Here we show the involvement of a WRKY transcription factor (TF) named <i>OsWRKY53</i> that is upregulated upon wounding as well as wound-derived plant elicitor peptide (PEP), OsPep2 treatments. OsWRKY53 is involved in the positive regulation of gene expression of OsPep2-responsive genes. OsWRKY53 displays altered DNA occupancy in response to OsPep2 treatment over time, correlating with the altered gene expression. OsWRKY53 undergoes phosphorylation upon OsPep2 perception, and this contributes to the enhanced stability of the protein. Further, OsWRKY53 is involved in the simultaneous activation and suppression of OsPep2-responsive and phytosulfokine (PSK)-responsive genes, respectively. In agreement with these findings, perturbed expression of OsWRKY53 leads to compromised transcriptional responses post-wounding. Collectively, we establish that OsWRKY53 acts at the intersection of PEP and PSK-mediated transition of wound responses.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional genetics of rice PISTILLATA genes reveals new roles and target genes in flowering time, female fertility, and parthenocarpy","authors":"Mohamed Zamzam,&nbsp;Ritabrata Basak,&nbsp;Sharad Singh,&nbsp;Sandhan Prakash,&nbsp;Raghavaram Peesapati,&nbsp;Imtiyaz Khanday,&nbsp;Sara Simonini,&nbsp;Ueli Grossniklaus,&nbsp;Usha Vijayraghavan","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70490","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Floral organ identity is controlled largely by the combinatorial action of MADS domain homeotic transcription factors. Lodicules are specialized plant organs in cereals and grasses that are involved in floret opening and facilitate pollination and fertility in rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.). To understand the mechanisms underlying the specification of the rice lodicule, we investigated the developmental functions of the rice <i>PISTILLATA</i> (<i>PI</i>) paralogs, <i>OsMADS2</i>, and <i>OsMADS4</i>. Null <i>osmads2</i> mutants reiterated OsMADS2 nonredundant lodicule specification roles and revealed new roles in flowering time and floral organ number and fate. Doubly perturbed <i>osmads2 osmads4kd</i> florets had severe abnormalities, were female infertile, yet could initiate parthenocarpy. Ubiquitous <i>OsMADS4</i> overexpression rescued <i>osmads2</i> abnormalities. We also utilized genome-wide binding analyses and transcriptome profiling to identify putative target genes contributing to OsMADS2 functions. In <i>osmads2</i>^<i>d8/d8</i> null mutant, we observed deregulated genes in a plethora of processes including lodicule and stamen development, floral organ number, and cell wall development. Some examples are cell division regulators (Cyclin D6, Cyclin-P4-1-like), an aquaporin (PIP1A), a peptide transporter, a vascular developmental regulator (HOX1), and a cell wall modulator (GH9B16). The deregulation of these genes may be associated with the disrupted cell division, tissue differentiation, and physiology of the malformed lodicules in <i>osmads2</i> and <i>osmads2 osmads4kd</i> florets. Altogether, we reveal novel roles for the rice <i>PI</i> paralogs in flowering time, panicle exsertion, and embryo sac differentiation, identify gene targets for lodicule development, and provide mechanistic insights on the functional diversification of rice <i>PI</i> paralogs.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LoZAT12 accelerates flower senescence by activating the biosynthesis of salicylic acid and ABA in Lilium oriental hybrid ‘Siberia’","authors":"Ziqiang Chen,&nbsp;Ruirui Li,&nbsp;Fengyuan Xu,&nbsp;Yiyi Yang,&nbsp;Cancan Yang,&nbsp;Jingjie Fang,&nbsp;Sitong Liu,&nbsp;Zhulong Chan,&nbsp;Linlin Zhong,&nbsp;Caiyun Wang,&nbsp;Fan Li,&nbsp;Guangfen Cui,&nbsp;Chunlian Jin,&nbsp;Shenchong Li,&nbsp;Jihua Wang,&nbsp;Hilary J. Rogers,&nbsp;Fan Zhang,&nbsp;Jing Luo","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70465","DOIUrl":"10.1111/tpj.70465","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Flower senescence is an intrinsic developmental process in plants that is regulated by phytohormones, including salicylic acid (SA) and ABA. Senescence significantly influences the quality and duration of flower opening in ornamental plants, leading to the loss of their economic value. The C2H2-type zinc finger protein family is known to play a crucial role in plant stress responses; however, its involvement in the regulation of flower senescence has yet to be reported. In this study, LoZAT12, a <i>Lilium</i> oriental hybrid C2H2 zinc finger protein, was found to be a key regulator in SA- and ABA-mediated lily flower senescence. The expression of <i>LoZAT12</i> significantly increased during the late stage of flower opening, accompanied by the elevated levels of SA and ABA. Silencing of <i>LoZAT12</i> resulted in a delay of flower senescence, whereas overexpression of <i>LoZAT12</i> accelerated senescence in lily flowers, which was also confirmed in transgenic Arabidopsis. Furthermore, LoZAT12 was shown to directly bind to the promoters of SA and ABA biosynthesis-related genes, <i>LoPAL2</i> and <i>LoNCED3</i>, thereby activating their expression and enhancing the levels of SA and ABA. Additionally, LoZAT12 bound to the promoter of the protease gene <i>LoSAG39</i> and induced its expression, thereby facilitating lily flower senescence. The roles of <i>LoPAL2</i> and <i>LoNCED3</i> in promoting lily flower senescence were further confirmed through gene silencing. This study elucidates the dual-regulatory function of LoZAT12 in modulating the accumulation of SA and ABA, establishing a positive feedback loop that contributes to the coordinated flower senescence in lilies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145129782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteomic snapshot of pattern triggered immunity in the Arabidopsis leaf apoplast","authors":"Hsiao-Chun Chen,&nbsp;Carter J. Newton,&nbsp;Gustavo Diaz,&nbsp;Yaochao Zheng,&nbsp;Feng Kong,&nbsp;Yao Yao,&nbsp;Li Yang,&nbsp;Brian H. Kvitko","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70498","DOIUrl":"10.1111/tpj.70498","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The apoplast is a critical interface in plant–pathogen interactions, particularly in the context of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), which is initiated by recognition of microbe-associated molecular patterns. Our study characterizes the proteomic profile of the Arabidopsis apoplast during PTI induced by flg22, a 22-amino-acid bacterial flagellin epitope, to elucidate the output of PTI. Apoplastic washing fluid was extracted with minimal cytoplasmic contamination for liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis. By comparing our data to publicly available transcriptome profiles of flg22 treatment from 1 to 18 h, we observed that several highly abundant proteins exhibit relatively unchanged gene expression across all time points. We also observed topological bias in peptide recovery of 19 enriched receptor-like kinases with peptides predominantly recovered from their ectodomains. Notably, tetraspanin 8, an exosome marker, was enriched in PTI samples. We additionally confirmed increased concentrations of exosomes during PTI. This study enhances our understanding of the proteomic changes in the apoplast during plant immune responses and lays the groundwork for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms of plant defense under recognition of pathogen molecular patterns.</p>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70498","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145136169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiple effectors trigger non-host resistance in Solanum americanum against Pseudomonas syringae","authors":"Jieun Kim,&nbsp;Markéta Vlková-Žlebková,&nbsp;Honour C McCann,&nbsp;Kee Hoon Sohn","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70489","DOIUrl":"10.1111/tpj.70489","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wild plant species are threatened by diverse pathogens, but disease symptoms are rarely observed in nature. This suggests that wild plants harbor valuable sources of resistance. In this study, we show that the model bacterial pathogen <i>Pseudomonas syringae</i> pv. <i>tomato</i> (<i>Pto</i>) DC3000 triggered defense responses in all tested accessions of a wild Solanaceae species, <i>Solanum americanum</i>. <i>Pto</i> DC3000-triggered immunity in <i>S. americanum</i> required a type III secretion system. We show that seven <i>Pto</i> DC3000 effectors (AvrPto, HopAD1, HopAM1, HopC1, HopAA1-1, HopM1, and AvrE1) triggered hypersensitive responses (HR) in <i>S. americanum</i> accession SP2273. Significantly, sequential deletion of the HR-triggering effectors from <i>Pto</i> DC3000 resulted in enhanced virulence in <i>S. americanum</i>. However, the well-conserved effectors, HopM1 and AvrE1, were indispensable for virulence. We conclude that the immunity triggered by multiple effectors contributes to nonhost resistance in <i>S. americanum</i> against <i>P. syringae</i>. We propose that the identification of the corresponding disease resistance genes for HopM1 and AvrE1 in <i>S. americanum</i> would accelerate the development of durable immunity to <i>P. syringae</i> pathogens in Solanaceae crops.</p>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70489","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145129805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pro-197-his/ser mutation and the metabolic gene DsUGT84A1, synergistically confer resistance to tribenuron-methyl in Descurainia sophia","authors":"Junhui Tian,&nbsp;Dingyi Bai,&nbsp;Sifen He,&nbsp;Yi Cao,&nbsp;Yuxi Liao,&nbsp;Junzhi Wang,&nbsp;Lianyang Bai,&nbsp;Lang Pan","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70487","DOIUrl":"10.1111/tpj.70487","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Descurainia sophia,</i> an invasive weed in wheat fields of China, has developed notable resistance to the acetolactate synthase (ALS)–inhibiting herbicide tribenuron-methyl. In this study, a suspected resistant population (R) of <i>D. sophia</i> was investigated to assess its resistance level and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Whole-plant bioassays revealed that the R population exhibited a 35.20-fold higher resistance index (RI) to tribenuron-methyl compared with a sensitive (S) population. Treatment with the cytochrome P450 inhibitor malathion partially reversed this resistance, indicating a metabolic component. Target-site resistance (TSR) analysis identified a mutation from proline (Pro) to histidine (His) or serine (Ser) at position 197 of the <i>ALS</i> gene in the R population. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that enhanced tribenuron-methyl metabolism occurred in the R population compared with the S population. Three candidate P450 genes (<i>CYP96A15</i>, <i>CYP81F1</i>, <i>CYP734A1</i>), and one UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) gene (<i>UGT84A1</i>) were found to be upregulated in the R population, as verified by RNA sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). Candidate resistance genes were identified and expressed heterologously in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>. Experimental data showed that compared with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) control group, the resistance of three transgenic <i>Arabidopsis</i> lines overexpressing the <i>DsUGT84A1</i> gene to tribenuron-methyl was significantly increased. When all the plants in the <i>GFP</i> control group died, the fresh weight of these three transgenic lines remained above 20%. The above results fully confirm that the <i>DsUGT84A1</i> gene demonstrates significant functions pertaining to resistance against tribenuron-methyl. However, the current data suggest that this novel metabolic gene (<i>DsUGT84A1</i>) may not confer cross-resistance among various ALS-inhibiting herbicides. In this respect, the TSR conferred by the Pro197His/Ser mutation may be responsible for cross-resistance. Additionally, antioxidant-related genes were upregulated in <i>A. thaliana</i> overexpressing <i>DsUGT84A1</i>, leading to a reduction in the toxicity level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Notably, this study identifies and functionally characterizes the UGT gene <i>DsUGT84A1</i> related to herbicide resistance in broadleaf weeds. This contributes to the understanding of herbicide resistance mechanisms, especially highlighting the role of UGT genes, and enhances the current understanding of resistance evolution in weeds.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145129770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethylene response factors ERF.B2 and ERF.B5 synergically regulate ascorbic acid biosynthesis at multiple sites in tomato","authors":"Weifang Chen,&nbsp;Pingfei Ge,&nbsp;Leifu Chen,&nbsp;John Kojo Ahiakpa,&nbsp;Weiling Yuan,&nbsp;Yuyang Zhang","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70479","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70479","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ascorbic acid (AsA) is an important growth regulator and antioxidant in plants. It is acknowledged as a quality indicator in tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>). Although the AsA biosynthetic pathway has been elucidated, its regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the present study, two members of the ethylene response factor (ERF) family, SlERF.B2 and SlERF.B5, were found to be co-expressed with <i>SlGGP1</i>, a pivotal gene in AsA biosynthesis. These two transcription factors were biochemically confirmed to bind to the DRE motif (GCCGAC/GTCGGC) of the <i>SlGGP1</i> promoter. Notably, the SlERF.B2 and SlERF.B5 functioned as a dimer to regulate <i>SlGGP1</i> expression and AsA biosynthesis. Overexpression of <i>SlERF.B2</i> and <i>SlERF.B5</i> enhanced the AsA levels up to 149 and 140%, respectively, whereas knockout of either of them could significantly decrease the AsA levels by up to 27%. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) indicated that SlERF.B2 synergistically regulates AsA biosynthesis at multiple sites by targeting the promoters of <i>SlGPI</i> and <i>SlDHAR1.</i> Overexpression of <i>SlERF.B2</i> or <i>SlERF.B5</i> in tomato conferred a high capacity for scavenging reactive oxygen species and enhanced tolerance to oxidation and salt stress, potentially by elevating the AsA content. This study unravels novel regulators of AsA biosynthesis and elucidates a molecular network that should facilitate the improvement of this nutrient in tomato and enhance stress tolerance in plants.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145111383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}