Molecular regulation of seed and fruit set

Ruan, Yong‐Ling; Patrick, John W.; Bouzayen, Mondher; Osorio, Sonia; Fernie, Alisdair R.

doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2012.06.005

Cited by 340 publications

(273 citation statements)

References 124 publications

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“…In tomato, photosynthesis in developing fruit can contribute up to 20% of the fruit photosynthate, and light-harvesting electron transfer and CO 2 fixation proteins are conserved in the active state in fruit tissue (Blanke and Lenz, 1989;Hetherington et al, 1998;Carrara et al, 2001;Matas et al, 2011). Yet, the prevailing idea is that fruit growth and metabolism are predominantly supported by photoassimilate supply from the source (Ruan et al, 2012), and in this regard, our data cannot rule out that the higher sugar content observed in the transgenic lines could also arise from a more efficient import of photoassimilate into fruit. Indeed, altering auxin sensitivity via down-regulation of tomato IAA9 has been reported to promote the development of vascular bundles (Wang et al, 2005), which may enhance sink strength and sugar supply to the fruit.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 58%

SlARF4, an Auxin Response Factor Involved in the Control of Sugar Metabolism during Tomato Fruit Development

et al. 2013

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Successful completion of fruit developmental programs depends on the interplay between multiple phytohormones. However, besides ethylene, the impact of other hormones on fruit quality traits remains elusive. A previous study has shown that downregulation of SlARF4, a member of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) auxin response factor (ARF) gene family, results in a darkgreen fruit phenotype with increased chloroplasts (Jones et al., 2002). This study further examines the role of this auxin transcriptional regulator during tomato fruit development at the level of transcripts, enzyme activities, and metabolites. It is noteworthy that the dark-green phenotype of antisense SlARF4-suppressed lines is restricted to fruit, suggesting that SlARF4 controls chlorophyll accumulation specifically in this organ. The SlARF4 underexpressing lines accumulate more starch at early stages of fruit development and display enhanced chlorophyll content and photochemical efficiency, which is consistent with the idea that fruit photosynthetic activity accounts for the elevated starch levels. SlARF4 expression is high in pericarp tissues of immature fruit and then undergoes a dramatic decline at the onset of ripening concomitant with the increase in sugar content. The higher starch content in developing fruits of SlARF4 down-regulated lines correlates with the up-regulation of genes and enzyme activities involved in starch biosynthesis, suggesting their negative regulation by SlARF4. Altogether, the data uncover the involvement of ARFs in the control of sugar content, an essential feature of fruit quality, and provide insight into the link between auxin signaling, chloroplastic activity, and sugar metabolism in developing fruit.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 58%

SlARF4, an Auxin Response Factor Involved in the Control of Sugar Metabolism during Tomato Fruit Development

et al. 2013

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“…Furthermore, while LMHS decreased the expression of YUCCA-like auxin biosynthesis genes ToFZY1 in 2-dbp ovaries and ToFZY6 in 2-dap fruits in the wild type, their transcript levels were sustained in the CWINelevated transgenic plants (Fig. 10, C and D), implying a more steady homeostasis of auxin, a major hormone known to stimulate fruit set directly or indirectly (Dorcey et al, 2009;Ruan et al, 2012). Given the altered mRNA levels of the auxin responsive gene, IAA9 and YUCCA-like auxin synthesis genes ToFZY1 and ToFZY6 as discussed above, and the role of auxin in cell division (Wang and Ruan, 2013), it was somehow surprising that no difference was observed in cell number or size in ovaries and fruits between the two genotypes (Supplemental Fig.…”

Section: Elevated Cwin Activity Enhances Tomato Fruit Set Under Lmhsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Cell Wall Invertase Promotes Fruit Set under Heat Stress by Suppressing ROS-Independent Cell Death

2016

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Reduced cell wall invertase (CWIN) activity has been shown to be associated with poor seed and fruit set under abiotic stress. Here, we examined whether genetically increasing native CWIN activity would sustain fruit set under long-term moderate heat stress (LMHS), an important factor limiting crop production, by using transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) with its CWIN inhibitor gene silenced and focusing on ovaries and fruits at 2 d before and after pollination, respectively. We found that the increase of CWIN activity suppressed LMHS-induced programmed cell death in fruits. Surprisingly, measurement of the contents of H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde and the activities of a cohort of antioxidant enzymes revealed that the CWINmediated inhibition on programmed cell death is exerted in a reactive oxygen species-independent manner. Elevation of CWIN activity sustained Suc import into fruits and increased activities of hexokinase and fructokinase in the ovaries in response to LMHS. Compared to the wild type, the CWIN-elevated transgenic plants exhibited higher transcript levels of heat shock protein genes Hsp90 and Hsp100 in ovaries and HspII17.6 in fruits under LMHS, which corresponded to a lower transcript level of a negative auxin responsive factor IAA9 but a higher expression of the auxin biosynthesis gene ToFZY6 in fruits at 2 d after pollination. Collectively, the data indicate that CWIN enhances fruit set under LMHS through suppression of programmed cell death in a reactive oxygen species-independent manner that could involve enhanced Suc import and catabolism, HSP expression, and auxin response and biosynthesis.

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“…At 28/ 14 C, the High WSC lines had the abovementioned generally lower (not always significant) levels of expression of sucrose hydrolysis and fructosyl transferases, which may have assisted in the movement of sucrose to the spike. Effectively, the genotypic avenue leading to higher growth, soluble sugars in reproductive organs and floret number seems to differ from previous models, where heightened invertase expression in ovaries are behind increased glucose levels and seed set (Boyer and McLaughlin 2007;Ruan et al 2012). It should be noted that in addition to studying a small number of genes involved in sucrose production, transport and utilisation, this study has only assessed mRNA expression levels and not enzyme activity per se.…”

Section: Links Between Genotypic Variation In Floret Fertility Sugarmentioning

confidence: 97%

More fertile florets and grains per spike can be achieved at higher temperature in wheat lines with high spike biomass and sugar content at booting

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Wockner

Palta

et al. 2014

Functional Plant Biol.

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Abstract. An understanding of processes regulating wheat floret and grain number at higher temperatures is required to better exploit genetic variation. In this study we tested the hypothesis that at higher temperatures, a reduction in floret fertility is associated with a decrease in soluble sugars and this response is exacerbated in genotypes low in water soluble carbohydrates (WSC). Four recombinant inbred lines contrasting for stem WSC were grown at 20/10 C and 11 h photoperiod until terminal spikelet, and then continued in a factorial combination of 20/10 C or 28/14 C with 11 h or 16 h photoperiod until anthesis. Across environments, High WSC lines had more grains per spike associated with more florets per spike. The number of fertile florets was associated with spike biomass at booting and, by extension, with glucose amount, both higher in High WSC lines. At booting, High WSC lines had higher fixed 13 C and higher levels of expression of genes involved in photosynthesis and sucrose transport and lower in sucrose degradation compared with Low WSC lines. At higher temperature, the intrinsic rate of floret development rate before booting was slower in High WSC lines. Grain set declined with the intrinsic rate of floret development before booting, with an advantage for High WSC lines at 28/14 C and 16 h. Genotypic and environmental action on floret fertility and grain set was summarised in a model.

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Molecular regulation of seed and fruit set

Cited by 340 publications

References 124 publications

SlARF4, an Auxin Response Factor Involved in the Control of Sugar Metabolism during Tomato Fruit Development

SlARF4, an Auxin Response Factor Involved in the Control of Sugar Metabolism during Tomato Fruit Development

Cell Wall Invertase Promotes Fruit Set under Heat Stress by Suppressing ROS-Independent Cell Death

More fertile florets and grains per spike can be achieved at higher temperature in wheat lines with high spike biomass and sugar content at booting

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