Methyl jasmonate modulates postharvest aroma formation in ginger through MYC2-mediated activation of ZoTPS14...

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an important medicinal and culinary plant, whose characteristic aroma is primarily determined by sesquiterpenes. Terpene synthases (TPSs) are key enzymes responsible for terpene biosynthesis, yet their genomic organization and regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood in ginger. In this study, a genome-wide analysis identified 59 ZoTPS genes, which were classified into six subfamilies and unevenly distributed across 11 chromosomes. Promoter analysis revealed multiple hormone-responsive elements, including MeJA-related motifs. Transcriptomic analysis of postharvest ginger rhizomes treated with MeJA showed significant enrichment of terpene biosynthesis pathways and coordinated upregulation of several ZoTPS genes, among which ZoTPS14 exhibited the most significant induction (P < 0.001). Subcellular localization analysis indicated that ZoTPS14 is targeted to chloroplasts. Functional characterization demonstrated that ZoTPS14 acts as a sesquiterpene synthase, and its overexpression significantly enhanced the accumulation of major sesquiterpenes, including zingiberene, α-farnesene, β-sesquiphellandrene, and α-curcumene. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated that ZoMYC2 directly binds to and activates the ZoTPS14 promoter, revealing a regulatory link between jasmonic acid(JA) signaling and terpene biosynthesis. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the molecular basis of terpene biosynthesis in ginger and offer a theoretical foundation for improving aroma quality through genetic and postharvest regulation.