HY5 Positively Regulates Autophagy to Mediate Red Light-Induced Tomato Fruit Ripening

Red light accelerates tomato fruit ripening, but the molecular link between light signalling and autophagy remains unclear. Here, we show that red light promotes fruit coloration by activating autophagy in tomato pericarp. This response largely depends on the transcription factor HY5, which positively regulates this process by directly activating ATG10 expression. ATG10 overexpression rescues the autophagic activity and the delayed coloration of hy5 mutants. Thus, the HY5-ATG10 module links red light to autophagy and fruit maturation, suggesting a target for improving fruit colour.