SlHY5 Integrates Temperature, Light, and Hormone Signaling to Balance Plant Growth and Cold Tolerance

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) 2019-02, Vol.179 (2), p.749-760
• Main Authors: Wang, Feng, Zhang, Luyue, Chen, Xiaoxiao, Wu, Xiaodan, Xiang, Xun, Zhou, Jie, Xia, Xiaojian, Shi, Kai, Yu, Jingquan, Foyer, Christine H, Zhou, Yanhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abscisic Acid - metabolism; Adaptation, Physiological; Cold-Shock Response - physiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gibberellins - biosynthesis; Gibberellins - metabolism; Light; Lycopersicon esculentum - physiology; Mutation; Photoperiod; Phytochrome A - metabolism; Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Signal Transduction; Temperature
• ISSN: 0032-0889; 1532-2548
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.18.01140

During the transition from warm to cool seasons, plants experience decreased temperatures, shortened days, and decreased red/far-red (R/FR) ratios of light. The mechanism by which plants integrate these environmental cues to maintain plant growth and adaptation remains poorly understood. Here, we report that low temperature induced the transcription of and accumulation of LONG HYPOCOTYL5 (SlHY5, a basic Leu zipper transcription factor) in tomato ( ) plants, especially under short day conditions with low R/FR light ratios. Reverse genetic approaches and physiological analyses revealed that silencing of increased cold susceptibility in tomato plants, whereas overexpression of enhanced cold tolerance. SlHY5 directly bound to and activated the transcription of genes encoding a gibberellin-inactivation enzyme, namely , and an abscisic acid biosynthetic enzyme, namely ( ). Thus, phytochrome A-dependent SlHY5 accumulation resulted in an increased abscisic acid/gibberellin ratio, which was accompanied by growth cessation and induction of cold response. Furthermore, silencing of compromises short day- and low R/FR-induced tomato resistance to cold stress. These findings provide insight into the molecular genetic mechanisms by which plants integrate environmental stimuli with hormones to coordinate their growth with impending cold temperatures. Moreover, this work reveals a molecular mechanism that plants have evolved for growth and survival in response to seasonal changes.