Transcriptomic analysis of regulating the growth and development of tomato seedlings by the crosstalk between JA and TOR signaling.

Key message: Transcription factors MYB, WRKY, bHLH, bZIP and NAC were identified as key candidate genes for JA and TOR regulation of tomato seedling growth and development. Jasmonic acid (JA) and Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways interact to regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. In this study, transcriptomic and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were conducted on tomato wild-type (WT) and spr2 mutant lines treated with the TOR inhibitor RAP and activator MHY1485. We identified key roles of MAPK kinase and ethylene signaling in mediating JA-TOR interaction. Core transcription factors, including MYB, WRKY, bHLH, bZIP, and NAC, were highlighted as central regulators within the interaction between JA and TOR signaling network. These findings advance our understanding of how JA and TOR signaling coordinate plant growth and stress adaptation.