A truncated B-box zinc finger transcription factor confers drought sensitivity in modern cultivated tomatoes.

ABSTRACT: Enhancing drought tolerance in crops and understanding the underlying mechanisms have been subject of intense research. The precise function and molecular mechanisms of B-box zinc finger proteins (BBX) remain elusive. Here, we report a natural allele of BBX18 (BBX18^TT) that encodes a C-terminal truncated protein. While most wild tomato germplasms contain the BBX18^CC allele and show more drought tolerant, modern cultivated tomatoes mostly carry BBX18^TT allele and are more drought sensitive. Knockout of BBX18 leads to improved drought tolerance in transgenic plants of cultivated tomato. Ascorbate peroxidase 1 (APX1) is identified as a BBX18-interacting protein that acts as a positive regulator of drought resistance in tomato. Chromatin immunoprecipitation seq

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11399245 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature