One gene lets tomato plants bend their own branches
Yu M, Ge Z, Xie Y, Qi Y
Crispr
If you've ever staked a tomato plant to keep sprawling branches under control, this gene is part of why some varieties grow upright and compact while others flop wide, opening the door to breeding tomatoes shaped for small gardens or dense greenhouse rows.
Researchers found a gene in tomato plants, nicknamed SlACOS1, that decides how wide or narrow the angle is between a branch and the main stem. When they switched the gene off, branches grew more upright because one side of the branch base thickened and elongated faster than the other, a lopsided growth pattern driven by an uneven buildup of the plant hormone auxin and changes in a stiffening compound called lignin. Interestingly, this steering system works independently of gravity, meaning the plant has more than one way of deciding which direction to grow.
Key Findings
CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of SlACOS1 in tomato produced a narrower lateral branch angle compared to normal plants
The gene shift causes asymmetric growth at the branch base, including curved vascular tissue and greater cell elongation on the underside (abaxial side) of the branch
SlACOS1 interacts with lignin biosynthesis genes SlCCR5 and SlCCR6 and influences auxin distribution, but works independently of the plant's gravity-sensing system
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists edited a single gene in tomato plants and found it controls how widely branches spread from the main stem, a trait that shapes how much fruit a plant can produce. The gene works by shifting where auxin (a growth hormone) builds up and how much lignin forms in the branch, causing one side to grow faster than the other.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Functional characterization of Acyl-CoA Synthase 1 in tomato branch angle development.
Branch angle is a crucial determinant of plant architecture, which is an important agronomic trait that contributes greatly to plant yield. In this study, we reported that SlACOS1 (Acyl-CoA synthas...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Gene editing removes 97% of celiac-triggering proteins from bread wheat
It could mean that people with celiac disease — roughly 1 in 100 worldwide — may one day safely eat bread made from real wheat, without sacrificing the taste...
The tomato is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originated from western South America, and may have been domesticated there, in Mexico, or in Central America. Th...