Abstract
The auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene family plays a critical role in auxin-mediated responses and fruit development. However, studies on its role in watermelon are limited. In this study, 29 ClIAA gene members were identified in the watermelon genome and classified into eleven groups. Of note, ClIAA16, which was found to be up-regulated during fruit ripening, was targeted using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Knockout mutants of ClIAA16 exhibited a 3–4 day delay in ripening compared to the wild type, highlighting the regulatory importance of ClIAA16. Our findings shed light on the importance of ClIAA genes in watermelon fruit ripening and pave the way for further functional studies.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have