Cheng Ke, Lin Duo, Ma Liqun, Lu Yao, Li Jinyan, Zhu Guoning, Lin Tao, Qu Guiqin, Zhu Benzhong, Fu Daqi, Luo Yunbo, Zhu Hongliang
The College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing HaiDian District, Qinghuadonglu No.17, 100083, China.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing HaiDian District, Mingyuanxilu No.2, 100193, China.
Hortic Res. 2025 Mar 18;12(7):uhaf089. doi: 10.1093/hr/uhaf089. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Fleshy fruits are vital to the human diet, providing essential nutrients, such as sugars, organic acids, and dietary fibers. RNA-binding proteins play critical functions in plant development and environment adaption, but their specific contributions to fruit development remain largely unexplored. In this study, we centered on the function of SlRBP1 in tomato fruit and reported an unexpected finding that SlRBP1 controls fruit size by regulating its targets and . Here, the fruit-specific silencing of was achieved by artificial miRNA which subsequently led to a marked reduction of fruit size. Cytological analysis suggested that silencing decreased cell division and expansion of fruit pericarp. Those key genes involved in cell development were significantly repressed in knock-down mutants. Furthermore, native RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing deciphered 83 SlRBP1-binding target RNAs in fruit, including two targets that are highly expressed in fruit: and , which are involved in developing fruit. Indeed, silencing either or resulted in fruit size reduction identical to that seen with silencing. These results suggest that SlRBP1 modulates fruit size through its targets and . Our findings provide novel perspectives on the molecular mechanisms though which RNA-binding proteins control fruit size.
肉质果实对人类饮食至关重要，能提供糖、有机酸和膳食纤维等必需营养物质。RNA结合蛋白在植物发育和环境适应中发挥关键作用，但其对果实发育的具体贡献在很大程度上仍未得到探索。在本研究中，我们聚焦于SlRBP1在番茄果实中的功能，并报告了一个意外发现，即SlRBP1通过调控其靶标 和 来控制果实大小。在此，通过人工miRNA实现了 基因在果实中的特异性沉默，随后导致果实大小显著减小。细胞学分析表明， 基因沉默减少了果实果皮的细胞分裂和扩展。在 基因敲除突变体中，那些参与细胞发育的关键基因被显著抑制。此外，原生RNA免疫沉淀测序解析了果实中83个与SlRBP1结合的靶标RNA，包括在果实中高表达的两个靶标： 和 ，它们参与果实发育。事实上，沉默 或 都会导致果实大小减小，与 基因沉默时的情况相同。这些结果表明，SlRBP1通过其靶标 和 调节果实大小。我们的研究结果为RNA结合蛋白控制果实大小的分子机制提供了新的视角。
