Institute of Vegetable and Floriculture Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Japan.
Proteo-Science Center (PROS), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan.
Nat Plants. 2024 Sep;10(9):1377-1388. doi: 10.1038/s41477-024-01767-z. Epub 2024 Aug 29.
Petal senescence in flowering plants is a type of programmed cell death with highly regulated onset and progression. A NAM/ATAF1,2/CUC2 transcription factor, EPHEMERAL1 (EPH1), has been identified as a key regulator of petal senescence in Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil). Here we used a novel chemical approach to delay petal senescence in Japanese morning glory by inhibiting the DNA-binding activity of EPH1. A cell-free high-throughput screening system and subsequent bioassays found two tetrafluorophthalimide-based compounds, Everlastin1 and Everlastin2, that inhibited the EPH1-DNA interaction and delayed petal senescence. The inhibitory mechanism was due to the suppression of EPH1 dimerization. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that the chemical treatment strongly suppressed the expression of programmed cell death- and autophagy-related genes. These results suggest that a chemical approach targeting a transcription factor can regulate petal senescence.
花卉植物的花瓣衰老属于一种程序化细胞死亡过程，具有高度调控的起始和进程。NAM/ATAF1、2/CUC2 转录因子 EPHEMERAL1（EPH1）已被鉴定为日本牵牛花瓣衰老的关键调控因子。在这里，我们使用一种新的化学方法，通过抑制 EPH1 的 DNA 结合活性来延缓日本牵牛的花瓣衰老。一种无细胞高通量筛选系统和随后的生物测定发现了两种基于四氟邻苯二甲酰亚胺的化合物 Everlastin1 和 Everlastin2，它们可以抑制 EPH1-DNA 相互作用并延缓花瓣衰老。抑制机制是由于抑制了 EPH1 二聚化。RNA-seq 分析表明，化学处理强烈抑制了程序化细胞死亡和自噬相关基因的表达。这些结果表明，针对转录因子的化学方法可以调节花瓣衰老。
