PlGATA1 and PlGATA6 Antagonistically Regulate ABA homeostasis to modulate Bud Dormancy Induction in Tree Peony
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: Bud dormancy critically affects tree peony growth and flowering, particularly for off-season forcing cultivation. GATA transcription factors are known regulators of ABA-mediated seed dormancy in plants. However, their potential role in bud dormancy remains unexplored. In this study, we systematic identified GATA family in tree peony genome and revealed key regulators PlGATA1 and PlGATA6 . Comparing the gene expressions in dormant and non-dormant buds in Paeonia × lemoinei ’High Noon’, we observed starkly contrasting expression patterns for PlGATA1 and PlGATA6 . Exogenous ABA treatment induced PlGATA1 expression while suppressing PlGATA6 , indicating the functional divergence in their regulatory pathways. Overexpression in Arabidopsis demonstrated that PlGATA1 induced seed dormancy, while PlGATA6 inhibits its. In tree peony, overexpression of PlGATA1 or silencing of PlGATA6 induced bud dormancy and modulated ABA metabolism-related gene expression. Critically, in vivo and in vitro binding assays confirmed that PlGATA1 activates the PlABI5 promoter, while PlGATA6 activates PlCYP707A1 promoter. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PlGATA1 and PlGATA6 serve as a ’molecular switch’ governing bud dormancy induction in tree peony through antagonistically regulating ABA homeostasis. These results provide novel insights into the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of bud dormancy and identify potential target genes to improve off-season cultivation in woody plants.
Authors: Ziwen Geng, Chunyan He, Fangting Qi, Jianing Han, Lei Zhang, Fangyun Cheng
Institution: Beijing Forestry University
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Awards: G4897494313, G6559418236
OpenAlex ID: W4413066173