Work

A GATA2 Transcription Factor Negatively Regulates CoFBA Expression and Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphate Accumulation in Cocos nucifera

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is an important tropical horticultural crop valued for its edible endosperm with high oil content. However, the molecular mechanisms governing carbon partitioning and the regulation of glycolytic genes during endosperm development remain largely unclear. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA), a key enzyme in glycolysis, plays a central role in carbohydrate metabolism, yet its transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in coconut have not been elucidated. In this study, the CoFBA promoter (proFBA) was isolated and used for yeast one-hybrid screening, leading to the identification of a GATA transcription factor, CoGATA2. Subcellular localization analysis confirmed that CoGATA2 is localized in the nucleus. Yeast one-hybrid assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), and transient expression in coconut protoplasts demonstrated that CoGATA2 directly binds to a proFBA fragment containing the predicted GATA motif and represses CoFBA expression. Moreover, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CoGATA2 in coconut callus resulted in significant upregulation of CoFBA expression and increased fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) levels. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that CoGATA2 functions as a transcriptional repressor of CoFBA and that this regulation correlates with altered FBP levels in coconut callus. However, the precise mechanism by which FBP accumulation occurs and its relationship to glycolytic flux require further investigation. This study provides new insights into the transcriptional regulation of a key glycolytic gene in coconut and offers a foundation for future efforts to manipulate carbon partitioning in this important horticultural crop.

Source: Horticulturae

DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae12080914

Authors: Zijia Liu, Qikai Zhang, Qiaoyu Huang, Dan Feng, Jixin Zou, Dongdong Li

Institutions: Hainan University, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Coconut Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Coconut Research and Applications

Subfield: Inorganic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654