Researchers Investigate the Vegetative Growth of Tomato Through Gene Editing

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Idaho and partners demonstrates the role of ubiquitin ligase seven in absentia1 (SINA1) mammalian BTF2-like transcription factors, Drosophila synapse-associated proteins, and yeast DOS2-like proteins (BSD1) function in controlling the vegetative growth of tomatoes through the production of plant growth hormone gibberellin (GA).

Vegetative growth involves the development of leaves, stems, and branches crucial for the overall health of the plant. Disruptions in regulatory pathways can lead to dwarfism characterized by abnormal internode elongation. Transcription factors significantly influence the vegetative growth of plants by either activating or repressing various gene expressions. Thus, the researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to generate transgenic plants and understand how the SINA1-BSD1 module regulates the vegetative growth of tomatoes.

The study found that the gene-edited tomato overexpressing SINA1 (SINA1-OX) appears similar to the dwarfism phenotype of the BSD1-knockout (BSD1-KO) tomato plant. Moreover, tomatoes with BRG1 knockout (BRG1-KO) also resulted in dwarfism phenotype which indicates that BRG1 and BSD1 have a positive role in the vegetative growth of tomato plants. The findings of the study also revealed that GA levels were reduced in SINA1-OX, BSD1-KO, and BRG1-KO plants and the exogenous application of bioactive GA3 restored their growth.

For more information, read the article from Advanced Science.