The Transcription Factors NFYA1 and GBF3 Jointly Regulate CHS2 to Promote Tangeretin Accumulation and Cold Tolerance in Citrus.

ABSTRACT: Tangeretin has been known as a polymethoxylated flavone conferring both phytoprotection and nutraceutical value, but cryoprotective roles and molecular regulation of tangeretin under abiotic stresses remain largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated that cold treatment led to greater accumulation of tangeretin and upregulation of Chalcone Synthase 2 (CiCHS2) in Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis), a cold-hardy citrus species, relative to a cold-sensitive genotype. CiCHS2, localised in the endoplasmic reticulum, was shown to function in cold tolerance by modulating tangeretin synthesis. We revealed that the transcription factors CiNFYA1 and CiGBF3 act as transcriptional activators of CiCHS2 by interacting with the CCAAT and G-box (CACGTG) elements, respectively, in the gene promoter.

SUBMITTER: Xiao P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12906813 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature