Molecular Studies of Postharvest Leaf and Flower Senescence

Abstract

Original objectives: To understand the regulation of abscission by exploring the nature of changes of auxin-related gene expression in tomato (Lycopersicon esculatumMill) abscission zones (AZs) following organ removal, and by analyzing the function of these genes. Our specific goals were: 1) To complete the microarray analyses in tomato flower and leaf AZs, for identifying genes whose expression changes early in response to auxin depletion; 2) To examine, using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), the effect of silencing target genes on ethylene sensitivity and abscission competence of the leaf and flower AZs; 3) To isolate and characterize promoters from AZ-specific genes to be used in functional analysis; 4) To generate stable transgenic tomato plants with selected genes silenced with RNAi, under the control of an AZ-specific promoter, for further characterization of their abscission phenotypes. Background: Abscission, the separation of organs from the parent plant, results in postharvest quality loss in many ornamentals and other fresh produce. The process is initiated by changes in the auxin gradient across the AZ, and is triggered by ethylene. Although changes in gene expression have been correlated with the ethylene-mediated execution of abscission, there is almost no information on the initiation of the abscission process, as the AZ becomes sensitized to ethylene. The present project was focused on elucidating these early molecular regulatory events, in order to gain a better control of the abscission process for agricultural manipulations. Major conclusions, solutions, achievements: Microarray analyses, using the Affymetrix Tomato GeneChip®, revealed changes in expression, occurring early in abscission, of many genes with possible regulatory functions. These included a range of auxin- and ethylene-related transcription factors (TFs), other TFs that are transiently induced just after flower removal, and a set of novel AZ-specific genes. We also identified four different defense-related genes, including: Cysteine-type endopeptidase, α- DOX1, WIN2, and SDF2, that are newly-associated with the late stage of the abscission process. This supports the activation of different defense responses and strategies at the late abscission stages, which may enable efficient protection of the exposed tissue toward different environmental stresses. To facilitate functional studies we implemented an efficient VIGS system in tomato, and isolated two abscission-specific promoters (pTAPG1 and pTAPG4) for gene silencing in stable transformation. Using the VIGS system we could demonstrate the importance of TAPGs in abscission of tomato leaf petioles, and evaluated the importance of more than 45 genes in abscission. Among them we identified few critical genes involved in leaf and flower abscission. These included: PTRP-F1, PRP, TKN4, KNOTTED-like homeobox TF, KD1, and KNOX-like homeodomain protein genes, the silencing of which caused a striking retardation of pedicel abscission, and ERF1, ERF4, Clavata-like3 protein, Sucrose transporter protein, and IAA10 genes, the silencing of which delayed petiole abscission. The importance of PRPand KD1 genes in abscission was confirmed also by antisense–silencing using pTAPG4. Experiments testing the effects of RNAi silencing of few other genes are still in progress, The analysis of the microarray results of flower and leaf AZs allowed us to establish a clear sequence of events occurring during acquisition of tissue sensitivity to ethylene, and to confirm our hypothesis that acquisition of ethylene sensitivity in the AZ is associated with altered expression of auxin-regulated genes in both AZs. Implication, both scientific and agricultural: Our studies had provided new insights into the regulation of the abscission process, and shaded light on the molecular mechanisms that drive the acquisition of abscission competence in the AZ. We pointed out some critical genes involved in regulation of abscission, and further expanded our knowledge of auxin-ethylene cross talk during the abscission process. This permits the development of novel techniques for manipulating abscission, and thereby improving the postharvest performance of ornamentals and other crops.