MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 Regulate Fruit Qualities in the Tomato Ovate Mutant

Fruit ripening and quality are known to be strictly regulated by transcription factors. Results of a previous study indicated that banana MADS-box protein named MuMADS1 interacts with an ovate family protein, named MaOFP1, to regulate banana fruit ripening. The team of Juhua Liu from Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences used a genetic transformation and transcriptional characterization to investigate the role of MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 in the regulation of fruit quality in tomato.

Co-expression of MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 in the ovate mutant could rescue the fruit shape and inferior qualities related to fruit firmness, soluble solids and sugar content. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the wildtype and ovate tomatoes was 1,395, with 883 upregulated and 512 downregulated genes. However, the numbers of DEGs gradually decreased when the ovate tomato was transformed using MuMADS1 and MaOFP1.

Expression of genes related to starch and sucrose metabolism were also different when MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 were integrated into ovate. Metabolic genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis were also upregulated in the wildtype, explaining the firmer texture and lower sugar contents in the ovate fruit.

These results show that MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 are co-regulators of fruit quality.

For more information, read the article in Plant Biotechnology Journal.