Grapevine gene switch found that weakens cold resistance
Shao M, Che L, Lu S, Feng Y, Yang S
Climate Adaptation
If you grow grapes or fruit trees in a climate with unpredictable frosts, this gene could eventually become a breeding target for varieties that survive cold snaps without losing a season's harvest.
Researchers discovered a gene in grapevines, called VvJAZ2, that actually makes the plant worse at handling cold weather when it's turned up. When they boosted this gene in test plants, the plants made less of their natural stress hormones and protective compounds, leaving them more damaged by freezing temperatures. This points to a specific molecular switch that breeders could target to create grape varieties that shrug off cold snaps.
Key Findings
Overexpressing VvJAZ2 in Arabidopsis and grape calli worsened cold damage, increasing oxidative stress and reducing antioxidant capacity
VvJAZ2 overexpression lowered levels of ABA and JA hormones and flavonoid compounds, and suppressed the ICE-CBF-COR cold-response gene network
The transcription factor VvMSA normally activates VvJAZ2 under warm conditions but this activation weakens during cold stress, and VvJAZ2 physically binds VvUGT74F5, a flavonoid-modifying enzyme
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found a gene in grapevines that makes them more vulnerable to cold damage by dialing down protective hormones and antioxidant compounds. Turning this gene's activity down could help breed hardier grape varieties for cold climates.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Jasmonate ZIM-domain protein 2 orchestrates ABA/JA signaling and flavonoid biosynthesis to suppress cold tolerance in grapevine.
Low temperature is a significant abiotic stressor that severely constrains grape cultivation and productivity. Jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins, which function as critical transcriptional repres...
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Vitis (grapevine) is a genus of about 80 species of twining plants in the family Vitaceae. The genus consists of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce wine....