Agroinfiltration technique for elucidating the functions of strawberry genes in Fragaria vesca

Unraveling gene function is crucial for enhancing quality traits in commercially cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) through biotechnology. However, such analysis is hindered by the complexity of the octoploid genome (2n = 8x = 56) of F. × ananassa. In this study, we leveraged the ancestral wild strawberry species Fragaria vesca as an experimental model and developed an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-based leaf infiltration (agroinfiltration) technique to elucidate the functions of genes and regulatory sequences in strawberry. We transiently expressed genes encoding transcriptional regulators that govern floral organ development in F. vesca leaf cells, allowing us to investigate the underlying regulatory mechanisms through in planta gene expression and transactivation assays. Our agroinfiltration method serves as a practical tool for studying the activities of genes controlling economically important traits in strawberry.