Apple E3 ligase MdPUB23 mediates ubiquitin-dependent degradation of MdABI5 to delay ABA-triggered leaf senescence

Abstract

ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5) is a core regulatory factor that mediates the ABA signaling response and leaf senescence. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the synergistic regulation of leaf senescence by ABI5 with interacting partners and the homeostasis of ABI5 in the ABA signaling response remain to be further investigated. In this study, we found that the accelerated effect of MdABI5 on leaf senescence is partly dependent on MdbHLH93, an activator of leaf senescence in apple. MdABI5 directly interacted with MdbHLH93 and improved the transcriptional activation of the senescence-associated gene MdSAG18 by MdbHLH93. MdPUB23, a U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase, physically interacted with MdABI5 and delayed ABA-triggered leaf senescence. Genetic and biochemical analyses suggest that MdPUB23 inhibited MdABI5-promoted leaf premature senescence by targeting MdABI5 for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. In conclusion, our results verify that MdABI5 accelerates leaf senescence through the MdABI5-MdbHLH93-MdSAG18 regulatory module, and MdPUB23 is responsible for the dynamic regulation of ABA-triggered leaf senescence by modulating the homeostasis of MdABI5.

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of China (32372642), the Development Plan of the Youth Innovation Team of the Higher Education Institutions in Shandong Province (2022KJ326), and Wuhan Botanical Garden Scientific Research Support Project (E3559901).

Author contributions

J.P.A. conceived and designed the experiments. F.Y., L.L.Z., and J.P.A. performed the research. C.X.Y., L.Q.S., Y.H., and J.P.A. analyzed the data. J.P.A. wrote the paper.

Data availability

All the data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article. The apple gene sequences in this study can be obtained according to the following accession numbers: MdbHLH93 (MDP0000644807), MdABI5 (LOC103430245), MdPUB23 (MDP0000773851), MdSAG12 (MDP0000138228), MdSAG18 (MDP0000274609), MdNYE1 (MDP0000322543), and MdNYC1 (MDP0000124013).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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