Single and Double Mutations in Tomato Ripening Transcription Factors Have Distinct Effects on Fruit Development and Quality Traits

Spontaneous mutations associated with the tomato transcription factors COLORLESS NON-RIPENING (SPL-CNR), NON-RIPENING (NAC-NOR), and RIPENING-INHIBITOR (MADS-RIN) result in fruit that do not undergo the normal hallmarks of ripening but are phenotypically distinguishable. Here, we expanded knowledge of the physiological, molecular, and genetic impacts of the ripening mutations on fruit development beyond ripening. We demonstrated through phenotypic and transcriptome analyses that Cnr fruit exhibit a broad range of developmental defects before the onset of fruit ripening, but fruit still undergo some ripening changes similar to wild type. Thus, Cnr should be considered as a fruit developmental mutant and not just a ripening mutant. Additionally, we showed that some ripening processes occur during senescence in the nor and rin mutant fruit, indicating that while some ripening processes are inhibited in these mutants, others are merely delayed. Through gene expression analysis and direct measurement of hormones, we found that Cnr, nor, and rin have alterations in the metabolism and signaling of plant hormones. Cnr mutants produce more than basal levels of ethylene, while nor and rin accumulate high concentrations of abscisic acid. To determine genetic interactions between the mutations, we created for the first time homozygous double mutants. Phenotypic analyses of the double ripening mutants revealed that Cnr has a strong influence on fruit traits and that combining nor and rin leads to an intermediate ripening mutant phenotype. However, we found that the genetic interactions between the mutations are more complex than anticipated, as the Cnr/nor double mutant fruit has a Cnr phenotype but displayed inhibition of ripening-related gene expression just like nor fruit. Our reevaluation of the Cnr, nor, and rin mutants provides new insights into the utilization of the mutants for studying fruit development and their implications in breeding for tomato fruit quality.

Comprehensive Profiling of Tubby-Like Protein Expression Uncovers Ripening-Related TLP Genes in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Tubby-like proteins (TLPs), which were firstly identified in obese mice, play important roles in male gametophyte development, biotic stress response, and abiotic stress responses in plants. To date, the role of TLP genes in fruit ripening is largely unknown. Here, through a bioinformatics analysis, we identified 11 TLPs which can be divided into three subgroups in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), a model plant for studying fruit development and ripening. It was shown that all SlTLPs except SlTLP11 contain both the Tub domain and F-box domain. An expression profiling analysis in different tomato tissues and developmental stages showed that 7 TLP genes are mainly expressed in vegetative tissues, flower, and early fruit developmental stages. Interestingly, other 4 TLP members (SlTLP1, SlTLP2, SlTLP4, and SlTLP5) were found to be highly expressed after breaker stage, suggesting a potential role of these genes in fruit ripening. Moreover, the induced expression of SlTLP1 and SlTLP2 by exogenous ethylene treatment and the down expression of the two genes in ripening mutants, further support their putative role in the ripening process. Overall, our study provides a basis for further investigation of the function of TLPs in plant development and fruit ripening.

Micro RNA Targeted Transcription Factors for Fruit Quality Improvement

Fruits are unique to flowering plants and represent an important component of human and animal diets. Development and maturation of tomato fruit is a well-programmed process, and yet, only a limited number of factors involved in its regulation have been characterized. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous RNAs that regulate gene expression in animals and plants. Plant miRNAs have a vital role in the generation of plant forms through post-transcriptional regulation of the accumulation of developmental regulators, especially transcription factors. Recently, we and others have demonstrated that miRNAs and other type of small RNAs are expressed in tomato fruit, and target putative transcription factors during its development and maturation. The original objectives of the approved proposal were: 1. To identify fruit miRNA transcription factor target genes through a bioinformatic approach. 2. To identify fruit miRNA transcription factor target genes up-regulated in tomato Dicer-like 1 silenced fruit. 3. To establish the biological functions of selected transcription factors and examine their utility for improving fleshy fruit quality trait. This project was approved by BARD as a feasibility study to allow initial experiments to peruse objective 2 as described above in order to provide initial evidence that miRNAs do play a role in fruit development. The approach planned to achieve objective 2, namely to identify miRNA transcription factor targets was to clone and silence the expression of a tomato DCL1 homolog in different stages of fruit development and examine alterations to gene expression in such a fruit in order to identify pathways and target genes that are regulated by miRNA via DCL1. In parallel, we characterized two transcription factors that are regulated by miRNAs in the fruit. We report here on the cloning of tomato DCL1 homolog, characterization of its expression in fruit flesh and peel of wild type and ripening mutants and generation of transgenic plants that silence SlDCL1 specifically in the fruit. Our results suggest that the tomato homolog of DCL1, which is the major plant enzyme involved in miRNA biogenesis, is present in fruit flesh and peel and differentially expressed during various stages of fruit development. In addition, its expression is altered in ripening mutants. We also report on the cloning and expression analysis of Sl_SBP and Sl_ARF transcription factors, which serve as targets of miR157 and miR160, respectively. Our data suggest that Sl_SBP levels are highest during fruit ripening supporting a role for this gene in that process. On the other hand Sl_ARF is strongly expressed in green fruit up to breaker indicating a role for that gene at preripening stage which is consistent with preliminary in_situ analyses that suggest expression in ovules of immature green fruit. The results of this feasibility study together with our previous results that miRNAs are expressed in the fruit indeed provide initial evidence that these regulators and their targets play roles in fruit development and ripening. These genes are expected to provide novel means for genetic improvement of tomato fleshy fruit.