How a Specific Gene Helps Tomatoes Resist Cold by Controlling Proline Levels

Jenn Hoskins
17th August, 2024

How a Specific Gene Helps Tomatoes Resist Cold by Controlling Proline Levels

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers at Shandong Agricultural University found that the transcription factor SlWRKY51 helps tomato plants tolerate chilling stress by increasing proline levels
  • Tomato plants with reduced SlWRKY51 expression showed lower photosynthesis and higher oxidative stress under chilling conditions
  • SlWRKY51 activates the P5CS1 gene, crucial for proline production, and interacts with SlVQ10 to enhance this effect
Chilling stress is a significant environmental challenge that adversely affects crop production. To counteract this stress, plants initiate a series of cellular responses, including the accumulation of specific metabolites like proline. A recent study conducted by researchers at Shandong Agricultural University, China, sheds light on the role of the transcription factor SlWRKY51 in enhancing proline content in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under chilling stress[1]. SlWRKY51 expression is induced when tomato plants are exposed to chilling stress. The study found that plants with reduced or eliminated SlWRKY51 expression exhibited chilling-sensitive phenotypes. These plants showed lower photosynthetic capacity and higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to wild-type plants. Additionally, the proline content in these knockdown and knockout lines was significantly reduced under chilling stress, which may explain their increased sensitivity. Proline is a crucial metabolite that helps plants cope with various environmental stresses by stabilizing proteins and membranes and scavenging free radicals. The accumulation of proline is often observed when plants are subjected to adverse conditions[2]. In this study, the researchers demonstrated that SlWRKY51 directly activates the expression of D-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), an enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in proline biosynthesis. Specifically, SlWRKY51 enhances the expression of the P5CS1 gene under chilling stress. The study also uncovered that the VQ family member SlVQ10 physically interacts with SlWRKY51, enhancing its ability to activate P5CS1. VQ proteins are known to interact with WRKY transcription factors and play a role in plant defense and stress responses[3]. This interaction between SlWRKY51 and SlVQ10 underscores the complexity of the regulatory mechanisms plants use to adapt to chilling stress. Previous research has highlighted the importance of WRKY transcription factors in plant stress responses. For instance, WRKY proteins have been shown to play a significant role in cold defense in tomato, with several WRKY genes being strongly induced under cold stress[4]. The current study builds on these findings by identifying a specific WRKY transcription factor, SlWRKY51, that directly influences proline accumulation, thereby enhancing chilling tolerance. Moreover, the study aligns with earlier findings that ROS, although traditionally considered toxic by-products of metabolism, act as signaling molecules that trigger stress tolerance mechanisms[2]. The increased ROS levels observed in SlWRKY51 knockdown and knockout lines further support the idea that SlWRKY51 helps mitigate oxidative damage by promoting proline accumulation. In summary, the study by Shandong Agricultural University reveals that the transcription factor SlWRKY51 plays a crucial role in enhancing chilling tolerance in tomato plants by promoting proline accumulation. This finding not only advances our understanding of plant stress responses but also offers potential strategies for improving crop resilience to chilling stress through genetic manipulation of SlWRKY51 and its interacting partners.

GeneticsBiochemPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) SlWRKY51 regulates proline content to enhance chilling tolerance in tomato.

Published 15th August, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15081

Related Studies

2) How reactive oxygen species and proline face stress together.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2014.04.007

3) Structural and functional analysis of VQ motif-containing proteins in Arabidopsis as interacting proteins of WRKY transcription factors.

https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.112.196816

4) Characterization of WRKY transcription factors in Solanum lycopersicum reveals collinearity and their expression patterns under cold treatment.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.07.085


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