Glycosylated sterols enhance cold tolerance in tomato via membrane stabilization and jasmonate signaling.

ABSTRACT: Free and glycosylated sterols play a central role in maintaining the structural integrity and proper functioning of the plasma membrane, which serves as the primary sensor of cold and initiates signaling cascades to mitigate chilling-induced damage. Here, we characterize the cold-response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-Tom) mutants with higher and lower ratios of glycosylated to free sterols than wild-type plants, resulting from the overexpression and silencing of the STEROL GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASES 1 and 2 (SlSGT2 and SlSGT1), respectively. The SlSGT2 overexpressing mutants show increased cold tolerance, membrane stability, and oxidative stress responses, while silencing of the SlSGT1 gene causes the opposite phenotypes. Furthermore, changes in the glycosylated to free sterols rati

SUBMITTER: Deng C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12516492 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature