Phytochrome-Mediated Light Perception Affects Fruit Development and Ripening Through Epigenetic Mechanisms.
Ricardo Bianchetti1, Nicolas Bellora2, Luis A de Haro3
1Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|May 16, 2022
Summary
Phytochrome B1B2 (PHYB1B2) signaling influences tomato fruit ripening by altering DNA methylation patterns, impacting key ripening genes and transcription factors. This reveals a link between light perception and epigenetic regulation of fruit development.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Epigenetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Phytochrome (PHY) perception of light and temperature regulates fruit development, ripening, and nutritional quality.
- Fruit ripening involves chromatin remodeling via DNA demethylation, but the link to environmental cues is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if PHY-dependent fruit development regulation involves epigenetic mechanisms.
- To analyze the methylome, transcriptome, and sRNAome in tomato mutants affecting PHY signaling.
Main Methods:
- Integrative analysis of methylome, transcriptome, and sRNAome in tomato fruits.
- Comparison of wild-type and phyA single and phyB1B2 double mutants at immature green (IG) and breaker (BK) stages.
- Analysis of transcription factor binding sites and methylation patterns in regulatory regions.
Main Results:
- PHYB1B2 significantly impacts the fruit transcriptome and methylome, particularly in gene-rich regions associated with ripening.
- Promoters of key ripening factors (e.g., RIN) and carotenoid genes remained methylated in phyB1B2 mutants.
- PHYB1B2 signaling involves a gene network with chromatin modifiers and transcription factors, affecting ripening-associated gene expression.
Conclusions:
- Phytochrome signaling, especially PHYB1B2, plays a crucial role in orchestrating epigenetic modifications during tomato fruit ripening.
- This study uncovers a molecular link between light perception and epigenetic control of agronomical traits.
- Findings provide insights into how environmental cues regulate fruit development through epigenetic mechanisms.
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