Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Measuring Gene Expression in Bombarded Barley Aleurone Layers with Increased Throughput
Published on: March 30, 2018
Chilling-responsive strigolactone signaling orchestrates bud break and chilling tolerance in apple
Yong Zhang1,2, Yuqing Zhu1, Chanyu Wang1
1College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.
None:
Temperature is a critical factor governing apple (Malus domestica) cultivation. Adequate chilling exposure promotes bud dormancy release, but prolonged chilling induces crop damage. However, the mechanisms underlying apple adaptation to varying chilling durations remain elusive. Here, we identify strigolactones (SLs) as dual regulators that suppress vegetative bud break while promoting chilling tolerance, with MdD53 (MdDWARF53) serving as the central integrator of these 2 responses. During fulfillment of the chilling requirement (CR), low temperature induces the expression of MdCBF4 (encoding a C-repeat binding transcription factor) and MdTCP14 (encoding a Teosinte branched1/cycloidea/proliferating cell factor). These factors interact and activate MdD53 transcription, thus promoting bud break. As chilling continues, increased SLs accelerate MdD53 degradation to enhance chilling tolerance; before CR fulfillment, MdD53 synthesis predominates (despite rising SLs) to ensure bud break competence. Under excessive chilling, elevated levels of SLs enhance MdD53 degradation and trigger MdMEK5-dependent phosphorylation of MdICE1 (Inducer of CBF Expression 1). This disrupts the MdD53-MdICE1 interaction, releasing MdICE1 to activate MdCBF1/3 expression. This shift prioritizes chilling tolerance over bud break competence, consequently weakening bud break capacity. Collectively, our results delineate the mechanistic basis for how SL-coordinated bud break and chilling tolerance define the latitudinal limits of apple cultivation.
More Related Videos
11:27A Flexible Low Cost Hydroponic System for Assessing Plant Responses to Small Molecules in Sterile Conditions
Published on: August 25, 2018
07:25Combining Histochemical Staining and Image Analysis to Quantify Starch in the Ovary Primordia of Sweet Cherry during Winter Dormancy
Published on: March 20, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Cell Signaling in Plants
Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
Introduction to Plant Diversity