Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes

Abstract Fruit of most apple varieties soften after harvest, and although the hormone ethylene is known to induce softening, the associated pathway is not well resolved. In this study, it is determined that MdEAEL1 (Ethylene‐activated E3 ubiquitin Like 1) is specifically expressed during apple fruit...

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Main Authors: Tong Li, Li Liu, Guangxin Yang, Yingcong Cai, Yingda Wang, Bowen Sun, Le Sun, Weiting Liu, Aide Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Advanced Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202417393
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author Tong Li
Li Liu
Guangxin Yang
Yingcong Cai
Yingda Wang
Bowen Sun
Le Sun
Weiting Liu
Aide Wang
author_facet Tong Li
Li Liu
Guangxin Yang
Yingcong Cai
Yingda Wang
Bowen Sun
Le Sun
Weiting Liu
Aide Wang
author_sort Tong Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Fruit of most apple varieties soften after harvest, and although the hormone ethylene is known to induce softening, the associated pathway is not well resolved. In this study, it is determined that MdEAEL1 (Ethylene‐activated E3 ubiquitin Like 1) is specifically expressed during apple fruit postharvest storage, activated by ethylene, and interacts with the transcription factor MdZFP3 (zinc finger protein3). MdZFP3 is found to rely on an EAR (ethylene‐responsive element binding factor‐associated amphiphilic repression) motif to form a transcriptional repression complex with MdTPL4 (TOPLESS4)‐MdHDA19 (histone deacetylase19), thereby downregulating the histone acetylation levels of the promoters of a range of cell wall degradation‐related genes and inhibiting their transcription. MdEAEL1 ubiquitinates and degrades MdZFP3, leading to the disassembly of the MdZFP3‐MdTPL4‐MdHDA19 transcriptional repression complex. This process promotes the transcription of cell wall degradation‐related genes, resulting in fruit softening during storage. Furthermore, the disassembly of the MdZFP3‐MdTPL4‐MdHDA19 transcriptional repression complex, mediated by MdEAEL1, upregulates the transcription of MdEAEL1 itself, creating a feedback loop that further promotes softening. This study elucidates the interplay between post‐translational modifications of a transcription factor and its epigenetic modification to regulate fruit softening, and highlights the complexity of ethylene‐induced softening.
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spelling doaj-art-c1d4b6cc13ce4fd6b79a1ae6c843f5942025-08-20T03:44:51ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-06-011222n/an/a10.1002/advs.202417393Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor ComplexesTong Li0Li Liu1Guangxin Yang2Yingcong Cai3Yingda Wang4Bowen Sun5Le Sun6Weiting Liu7Aide Wang8Key Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaLiaoning Institute of Pomology Xiongyue 115009 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaKey Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province) Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture (Ministry of Education) National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning) College of Horticulture Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang 110866 ChinaAbstract Fruit of most apple varieties soften after harvest, and although the hormone ethylene is known to induce softening, the associated pathway is not well resolved. In this study, it is determined that MdEAEL1 (Ethylene‐activated E3 ubiquitin Like 1) is specifically expressed during apple fruit postharvest storage, activated by ethylene, and interacts with the transcription factor MdZFP3 (zinc finger protein3). MdZFP3 is found to rely on an EAR (ethylene‐responsive element binding factor‐associated amphiphilic repression) motif to form a transcriptional repression complex with MdTPL4 (TOPLESS4)‐MdHDA19 (histone deacetylase19), thereby downregulating the histone acetylation levels of the promoters of a range of cell wall degradation‐related genes and inhibiting their transcription. MdEAEL1 ubiquitinates and degrades MdZFP3, leading to the disassembly of the MdZFP3‐MdTPL4‐MdHDA19 transcriptional repression complex. This process promotes the transcription of cell wall degradation‐related genes, resulting in fruit softening during storage. Furthermore, the disassembly of the MdZFP3‐MdTPL4‐MdHDA19 transcriptional repression complex, mediated by MdEAEL1, upregulates the transcription of MdEAEL1 itself, creating a feedback loop that further promotes softening. This study elucidates the interplay between post‐translational modifications of a transcription factor and its epigenetic modification to regulate fruit softening, and highlights the complexity of ethylene‐induced softening.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202417393apple fruitethylenefruit softening
spellingShingle Tong Li
Li Liu
Guangxin Yang
Yingcong Cai
Yingda Wang
Bowen Sun
Le Sun
Weiting Liu
Aide Wang
Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes
Advanced Science
apple fruit
ethylene
fruit softening
title Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes
title_full Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes
title_fullStr Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes
title_full_unstemmed Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes
title_short Ethylene‐Activated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase MdEAEL1 Promotes Apple Fruit Softening by Facilitating the Dissociation of Transcriptional Repressor Complexes
title_sort ethylene activated e3 ubiquitin ligase mdeael1 promotes apple fruit softening by facilitating the dissociation of transcriptional repressor complexes
topic apple fruit
ethylene
fruit softening
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202417393
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