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Acta Agronomica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (4): 982-991.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2025.44147

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Functional study on the regulation of plant architecture by tomato type I MADS-box gene SlMADS79

GUO Xu-Hu1,*(), LI Ling-Zhi2, LI Feng1, MA Bo-Yan1, JIA Xiao-Yu1   

  1. 1School of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037009, Shanxi, China
    2College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, Shanxi, China
  • Received:2024-09-08 Accepted:2024-12-12 Online:2025-04-12 Published:2024-12-12
  • Contact: E-mail: 429248441@qq.com
  • Supported by:
    Basic Research Programs of Shanxi Province(202303021211181);Applied Basic Research Program of Datong City(2024067);Basic Research Programs of Shanxi Datong University(2022Q3)

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Abstract:

MADS-box genes play a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development. While the functions of type II MADS-box genes have been extensively studied, there are relatively few reports on type I MADS-box genes in tomato. In this study, we cloned the type I MADS-box gene SlMADS79, which was found to be highly expressed in tomato roots, leaves, and lateral buds, suggesting its involvement in the regulation of vegetative organ growth. Using the classical tomato cultivar Ailsa Craig (AC++) as background material, we silenced the SlMADS79 gene through RNA interference (RNAi). Compared to the wild type, SlMADS79-silenced lines exhibited reduced apical dominance and decreased plant height. The length, width, perimeter, and area of the leaves were smaller than those of wild-type plants. Additionally, root traits—including total length, total surface area, total projected area, volume, number of forks, and number of tips—were significantly reduced. Anatomical studies revealed that while the cells in the longitudinal sections of SlMADS79-silenced stems were smaller, their average number significantly increased. At the hormonal level, the contents of IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), TZR (trans-zeatin riboside), and CS (castasterone) were decreased in the SlMADS79-silenced lines. At the molecular level, the auxin response gene IAA3 and gibberellin synthesis gene GA3ox1 were significantly downregulated in the SlMADS79-silenced lines, while the cell cycle gene CyCA3;1 was significantly upregulated. This study further analyzes the biological function of the SlMADS79 gene at morphological, anatomical, hormonal, and molecular levels, expands our understanding of the type I MADS-box gene family in tomato, and provides a solid theoretical foundation for further research on plant architecture regulation in tomato.

Key words: tomato, MADS-box, SlMADS79, plant height, leaf morphologies, root system

Table 1

Primers used in this study"

引物名称Primer name 引物序列Primer sequences (5'-3') 引物用途Primer usage
Forward fragment-F ATGGTGAGAGGGAAAACTGAAATG 植物表达载体构建
Plant expression vector construction
Forward fragment-R CCTTGAGGTTGAAAATTCATAAAGTTTGTC
Reverse fragment-F CCTTGAGGTTGAAAATTCATAAAGTTTGTC
Reverse fragment-R ATGGTGAGAGGGAAAACTGAAATG
trans-MADS79-F AGAAGACGTTCCAACCACG 转基因植株鉴定
Transgenic plant identification
trans-MADS79-R CCAACTTGAGCATCACAAAGAAC
SlCAC-F CCTCCGTTGTGATGTAACTGG 内参引物
Internal control primer
SlCAC-R ATTGGTGGAAAGTAACATCATCG
SlMADS79-F GAAATGAGGCGTATCGAAAA qRT-PCR检测
qRT-PCR detection
SlMADS79-R TCCAACTTGAGCATCACAAA
IAA3-F GGCCACCAGTTCGATCATAC
IAA3-R GGTGCTCCATCCATGCTAAC
GA3ox1-F GTAGACCAAAGGAACCCTCAAAT
GA3ox1-R GCCGAACAGATGAAAGTGCT
CycA3;1-F CTAAGAAAAGAGCAGCAGAAGCA
CycA3;1-R GATTCCTTATCTTTTTCAGCAACAG
DELLA-F CAGATTCATCAGCAACGAGACC
DELLA-R TGTGAAACCGCAAGAATACCAA
GAI-F CCAGCACTTGTCATTCTTACCC
GAI-R AAAGCTCATCCATTCCAGCA

Fig. 1

Expression pattern analysis of SlMADS79 gene in wild-type tomato Relative expression patterns of SlMADS79 in wild-type plants based on qPCR. RT: root; ST: stem; YL: young leaf; ML: muture leaf; SL: senescent leaf; BR: branch; F: flower; IMG: immature green fruit; MG: mature green fruit; B: breaker fruit; B4: four days after breaker fruit; B7: seven days after breaker fruit."

Fig. 2

SlMADS79-RNAi vector (A) and PCR verification of the transgenic plants (B) M: DL2000; 10-20 are T0 lines; WT is negative control (wild type); CK is blank control (water); P is positive control (agrobacterium solution)."

Fig. 3

Phenotypes of SlMADS79-RNAi lines A: seedling morphologies of wild type plant; B, C: seedling morphologies of the transgenic lines; D: height measurement of wild type and transgenic plants. * indicates statistically significant differences between the wild type and transgenic lines (P < 0.05)."

Fig. 4

Anatomical analysis of stems from wild-type and transgenic lines A: longitudinal section of stems from wild type; B: longitudinal section of stems from transgenic lines. Bar: 100 μm; C: estimated stem cell area from wild-type and transgenic lines; D: estimated cell perimeter from wild-type and transgenic lines; E: estimated cell number from wild-type and transgenic lines. * indicates statistically significant differences between the wild type and transgenic lines (P < 0.05)."

Fig. 5

Leaf morphologies of WT and SlMADS79 transgenic lines A: leaf photos of WT (underlined in yellow) and transgenic lines (underlined in red); B-E: length, width, perimeter, and area of leaves from WT and SlMADS79 transgenic lines, respectively. * indicates statistically significant differences between the wild type and transgenic lines (P < 0.05)."

Fig. 6

Root morphologies of WT and SlMADS79 transgenic lines A: root photos of WT (underlined in yellow) and transgenic lines (underlined in red); B-G: total length, total surface area, total project area, root volume, forks, and tips of roots from WT and SlMADS79 transgenic lines, respectively. * indicates statistically significant differences between the wild type and transgenic lines (P < 0.05)."

Fig. 7

Hormone levels in stems of WT and SlMADS79-silenced lines * indicates statistically significant differences between the wild type and transgenic lines (P < 0.05)."

Fig. 8

Transcript levels of genes involved in phytohormone response, signal transduction and cell cycle regulation in WT and SlMADS79-silenced plants * indicates statistically significant differences between the wild type and transgenic lines (P < 0.05)."

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