Transcriptional regulation of wound suberin deposition in potato cultivars with differential wound healing capacity. (18th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wahrenburg, Zachary; Benesch, Elizabeth; Lowe, Catherine; Jimenez, Jazmin; Vulavala, Vijaya K. R.; Lü, Shiyou; Hammerschmidt, Ray; Douches, David; Yim, Won C.; Santos, Patricia; Kosma, Dylan K.
• Is Part Of: Plant journal. Volume 107:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 77
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2021-05-18
• Subjects: ligno‐suberin -- R2R3 Myeloblastosis transcription factor -- Solanum tuberosum -- suberin -- wax -- wound response; Plant molecular biology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15275
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-7412

Abstract

SUMMARY: Wounding during mechanical harvesting and post‐harvest handling results in tuber desiccation and provides an entry point for pathogens resulting in substantial post​‐harvest crop losses. Poor wound healing is a major culprit of these losses. Wound tissue in potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) tubers, and all higher plants, is composed of a large proportion of suberin that is deposited in a specialized tissue called the wound periderm. However, the genetic regulatory pathway controlling wound‐induced suberization remains unknown. Here, we implicate two potato transcription factors, StMYB102 (PGSC0003DMG400011250) and StMYB74 (PGSC0003DMG400022399), as regulators of wound suberin biosynthesis and deposition. Using targeted metabolomics and transcript profiling from the wound healing tissues of two commercial potato cultivars, as well as heterologous expression, we provide evidence for the molecular–genetic basis of the differential wound suberization capacities of different potato cultivars. Our results suggest that (i) the export of suberin from the cytosol to the apoplast and ligno‐suberin deposition may be limiting factors for wound suberization, (ii) StMYB74 and StMYB102 are important regulators of the wound suberization process in tubers, and (iii) polymorphisms in StMYB102 may influence cultivar‐specific wound suberization capacity. These results represent an important step in understanding the regulated biosynthesis and deposition of wound suberin and provide a practical foundation for targeted breeding approaches aimed at improving potato tuber storage life. Significance Statement: A molecular–genetic and targeted metabolomics‐based characterization of two commercial cultivars of potato known for their contrasting tuber storability revealed a potential positive relationship between suberin‐associated wound healing capacity and tuber storage life. Two R2R3 MYB transcription factors were identified as putative regulators of tuber wound suberization related to the differential suberization capacity of the two cultivars studied herein.