Blue light promotes ascorbate synthesis by deactivating the PAS/LOV photoreceptor that inhibits GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase.

ABSTRACT: Ascorbate (vitamin C) is an essential antioxidant in fresh fruits and vegetables. To gain insight into the regulation of ascorbate metabolism in plants, we studied mutant tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) that produce ascorbate-enriched fruits. The causal mutation, identified by a mapping-by-sequencing strategy, corresponded to a knock-out recessive mutation in a class of photoreceptor named PAS/LOV protein (PLP), which acts as a negative regulator of ascorbate biosynthesis. This trait was confirmed by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and further found in all plant organs, including fruit that accumulated 2 to 3 times more ascorbate than in the WT. The functional characterization revealed that PLP interacted with the 2 isoforms of GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP), known as the controlling st

SUBMITTER: Bournonville C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10291033 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature