Transcriptomic reprogramming and epigenetic regulation underlying pollination-dependent and auxin-induced fruit set...

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Molecular Genetics

Background:

• Fruit set, the transition from flower to fruit, is vital for plant reproduction and crop yield.
• This process can be triggered by pollination or occur independently, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the transcriptomic reprogramming during pollination-dependent and pollination-independent fruit set.
• To identify key genes and regulatory pathways involved in fruit initiation in tomato.

Main Methods:

• Genome-wide transcriptomic profiling of tomato flowers undergoing pollination-induced or auxin-induced fruit set.
• Analysis of changes in histone modifications (H3K9ac, H3K4me3) during fruit set.
• Comparative analysis of gene expression patterns between natural pollination and auxin treatment.

Main Results:

• Both pollination and auxin treatment induce similar large-scale transcriptomic changes in maternal tissues, involving hormone signaling pathways.
• Specific gene families, including MADS-box and NAC, were downregulated, while TCP, SBP, SNF2, GRF, and SET genes were upregulated in both conditions.
• Differences were observed in seed development and hormone signaling, suggesting distinct regulatory aspects.

Conclusions:

• Auxin is a central hormone that orchestrates gene reprogramming during fruit initiation.
• Both pollination and auxin treatment initiate fruit set through conserved transcriptomic reprogramming, with auxin playing a pivotal role.
• The study identifies key regulatory genes and epigenetic modifications involved in fruit development.