Chemical induction of DNA demethylation by 5-Azacytidine enhances tomato fruit defense against gray mold through dicer-like protein DCL2c.

ABSTRACT: Postharvest decay, primarily caused by pathogenic fungi in ripening fruits and fresh vegetables, poses a challenge to agricultural sustainability and results in significant economic losses. The regulation of the fruit ripening by DNA methylation has been well demonstrated, while defense response of fruit underlying epigenetic regulation against postharvest decay remains uncertain. In the present study, treatment of tomato fruits with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza) notably decreased their susceptibility to gray mold. Following 5-Aza treatment, we observed a substantial increase in activities of chitinase (CHI) and glucanase (GLU) in tomato fruits, as well as an increase in the expression of the dicer-like SlDCL2 gene family. Suppression of SlDCL2c th

SUBMITTER: Chang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11298621 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature