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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #365161
Research Project: Genetics, Epigenetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology for Fruit and Vegetable Quality

Location: Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research

Title: MaMADS2 repression in banana fruits modifies hormone synthesis and singaling pathways prior to climacteric stage

Author
item YAKIR, ESTHER - Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel
item FEI, ZHANGJUN - Boyce Thompson Institute
item SELA, NOA - Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel
item XU, YIMIN - Boyce Thompson Institute
item SINGH, VIKRAM - Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel
item DAGAR, ANURAG - Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel
item RAJ JOSHI, JANAK - Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel
item MULLER, MAREN - University Of Barcelona
item MUNNE-BUSCH, SERGI - University Of Barcelona
item Giovannoni, James
item VREBALOV, JULIA - Boyce Thompson Institute
item FREIDMAN, HAYA - Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel

Submitted to: BMC Plant Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/11/2018
Publication Date: 11/6/2018
Citation: Yakir, E., Fei, Z., Sela, N., Xu, Y., Singh, V., Dagar, A., Raj Joshi, J., Muller, M., Munne-Busch, S., Giovannoni, J.J., Vrebalov, J., Freidman, H. 2018. MaMADS2 repression in banana fruits modifies hormone synthesis and singaling pathways prior to climacteric stage. Biomed Central (BMC) Plant Biology. 18(267):1-17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-018-1480-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-018-1480-5

Interpretive Summary: Fruits of plants in the genus Musa including bananas and plantains represent staple foods for millions of people, especially in developing countries, and an important carbohydrate and nutrient source for billions more, the world over. The involvement of ethylene in ripening has been established, but less so the role of other hormones. Here we characterize normal and transgenic ripening inhibited bananas to assess the roles of ethylene and other hormones in ripening and shelf-life. We demonstrate that in addition to ethylene, the so-called "ripening-hormone" of many fruits, the hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and cytokinins also play role in banana ripening via cross-talk with ethylene responses. Via this work we have identified additional targets besides ethylene that my be pursued to promote fruit quality and storage characteristics in addition to ethylene.

Technical Abstract: While the role of ethylene in fruit ripening has been widely studied, the contributions of additional plant hormones are less clear. Here we examined the interactions between the transcription factor MaMADS2-box which plays a major role in banana fruit ripening and hormonal regulation. Specifically, we used MaMADS2 repressed lines in transcriptome and hormonal analyses throughout ripening and assessed hormone and gene expression perturbations as compared to wild-type (WT) control fruit. In addition to previously reported effects of MaMADS2 on ethylene, we show that this transcription factor also influences other plant hormones, particularly at the pre-climacteric stage. The cytokinin pathway may play a previously unanticipated role via MaMADS2 in banana ripening. Finally, abscisic acid enhances MaMADS2 expression to promote ripening, but the transcription factor in turn auto inhibits ABA synthesis and signaling. Together, these results demonstrate a complex interaction of plant hormones and banana fruit ripening mediated by MaMADS2.