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Lai T, Wang X, Ye B, Jin M, Chen W, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Blanks AM, Gu M, Zhang P, Zhang X, Li C, Wang H, Liu Y, Gallusci P, Tör M, Hong Y. Molecular and functional characterization of the SBP-box transcription factor SPL-CNR in tomato fruit ripening and cell death. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:2995-3011. [PMID: 32016417 PMCID: PMC7260717 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
SlSPL-CNR, an SBP-box transcription factor (TF) gene residing at the epimutant Colourless non-ripening (Cnr) locus, is involved in tomato ripening. This epimutant provides a unique model to investigate the (epi)genetic basis of fruit ripening. Here we report that SlSPL-CNR is a nucleus-localized protein with a distinct monopartite nuclear localization signal (NLS). It consists of four consecutive residues ' 30KRKR33' at the N-terminus of the protein. Mutation of the NLS abolishes SlSPL-CNR's ability to localize in the nucleus. SlSPL-CNR comprises two zinc-finger motifs (ZFMs) within the C-terminal SBP-box domain. Both ZFMs contribute to zinc-binding activity. SlSPL-CNR can induce cell death in tomato and tobacco, dependent on its nuclear localization. However, the two ZFMs have differential impacts on SlSPL-CNR's induction of severe necrosis or mild necrotic ringspot. NLS and ZFM mutants cannot complement Cnr fruits to ripen. SlSPL-CNR interacts with SlSnRK1. Virus-induced SlSnRK1 silencing leads to reduction in expression of ripening-related genes and inhibits ripening in tomato. We conclude that SlSPL-CNR is a multifunctional protein that consists of a distinct monopartite NLS, binds to zinc, and interacts with SlSnRK1 to affect cell death and tomato fruit ripening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongfei Lai
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bishun Ye
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingfei Jin
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Warwick-Hangzhou Joint RNA Signaling Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Weiwei Chen
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingying Zhou
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Andrew M Blanks
- Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Mei Gu
- The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pengcheng Zhang
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinlian Zhang
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Division of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chunyang Li
- Warwick-Hangzhou Joint RNA Signaling Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Huizhong Wang
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yule Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Centre for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Philippe Gallusci
- Laboratory of Grape Ecophysiology and Functional Biology, Bordeaux University, INRA, Bordeaux Science Agro, Villenave d’Ornon, France
| | - Mahmut Tör
- Worcester-Hangzhou Joint Molecular Plant Health Laboratory, School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK
| | - Yiguo Hong
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
- Warwick-Hangzhou Joint RNA Signaling Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Worcester-Hangzhou Joint Molecular Plant Health Laboratory, School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK
- Correspondence: , or
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