Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2025
05:47
Phosphoproteomic Strategy for Profiling Osmotic Stress Signaling in Arabidopsis
Published on: June 25, 2020
5.3K
MdGRF10 phosphorylation stabilizes MdASMT1 for melatonin-mediated salt tolerance in apple
Zehui Hu1, Tianci Yan1, Tong Zhang1
1College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
|August 19, 2025
Summary
Researchers discovered a new pathway involving MdPBL34, MdGRF10, and MdASMT1 that enhances salt tolerance in apple trees by increasing melatonin production and reducing oxidative damage. This finding aids in developing salt-resistant apple varieties.
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Molecular Biology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Salt stress severely impacts global apple production, necessitating strategies to enhance plant salt tolerance.
- Oxidative damage from salt stress is a key factor limiting crop yield, especially in secondary salt stress conditions.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms of salt signal transduction in apples is crucial for improving crop resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key genes and regulatory pathways involved in salt stress response in apple plants.
- To elucidate the role of a novel signaling module in mitigating oxidative damage and enhancing salt tolerance.
- To explore the potential for molecular breeding of salt-tolerant apple trees through melatonin enrichment.
Main Methods:
- Identification and characterization of salt-induced genes, including MdGRF10.
- Investigating protein-protein interactions and phosphorylation events using MdPBL34 and MdGRF10.
- Utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 technology to assess the function of MdASMT1 in transgenic apple plants.
- Quantifying reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and assessing oxidative damage.
Main Results:
- Overexpression of MdGRF10 enhanced salt tolerance and reduced oxidative damage in transgenic apple plants.
- MdPBL34 interacts with and phosphorylates MdGRF10, promoting its interaction with MdASMT1.
- MdASMT1 is critical for melatonin-mediated ROS scavenging, stabilizing the enzyme and increasing melatonin levels.
- The MdPBL34-MdGRF10-MdASMT1 module enhances salt tolerance by reducing oxidative damage and increasing melatonin.
Conclusions:
- A novel regulatory module (MdPBL34-MdGRF10-MdASMT1) has been uncovered for salt stress response in apple.
- 14-3-3 proteins integrate salt signals in a phosphorylation-dependent manner.
- MdPBL34 is identified as a new player in salt signaling pathways.
- This research provides a foundation for developing melatonin-enriched, salt-tolerant apple varieties.
