Work

The plant longevity gene AHL15 delays leaf senescence by repressing ORESARA1 and cytokinin degradation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: SUMMARY The Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) AT‐HOOK MOTIF NUCLEAR LOCALIZED 15 (AHL15) gene is associated with various longevity phenotypes and extends the life span of plants when overexpressed. In this study, we show that, in addition to previously described longevity phenotypes, constitutive overexpression of AHL15 in Arabidopsis delays leaf senescence, whereas ahl15 loss of function accelerates this process. Dexamethasone‐induced nuclear localization of AHL15‐GR during dark‐triggered senescence results in a stay‐green phenotype and represses the expression of several early senescence‐associated genes. Among these, the ORESARA1 (ORE1) locus is directly bound by AHL15, suggesting a direct delaying effect of AHL15 on senescence. Furthermore, we demonstrate that AHL15 acts by directly repressing the expression of several CYTOKININ OXIDASE (CKX) genes involved in cytokinin inactivation, resulting in delayed degradation of cytokinins during dark‐induced senescence. Cytokinins are known to inhibit senescence, and this, together with the downregulation of ORE1 expression, explains the delaying effect of AHL15 on senescence.

Source: The Plant Journal

DOI: 10.1111/tpj.71177

Authors: Thalia Luden, Petra Amakorová, Ellora Basu, Ondřej Novák, Salma Balazadeh, Remko Offringa

Institutions: Leiden University, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Botany, Palacký University Olomouc

Language: English

Topic: Plant Gene Expression Analysis

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,450

Funder: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek