title: The grape berry-specific basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor VvCEB1 affects cell size.
abstract: The development of fleshy fruits involves complex physiological and biochemical changes. After fertilization, fruit growth usually begins with cell division, continues with both cell division and expansion, allowing fruit set to occur, and ends with cell expansion only. In spite of the economical importance of grapevine, the molecular mechanisms controlling berry growth are not fully understood. The present work identified and characterized Vitis vinifera cell elongation bHLH protein (VvCEB1), a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor controlling cell expansion in grape. VvCEB1 was expressed specifically in berry-expanding tissues with a maximum around veraison. The study of VvCEB1 promoter activity in tomato confirmed its specific fruit expression during the expansion phase. Overexpression of VvCEB1 in grape embryos showed that this protein stimulates cell expansion and affects the expression of genes involved in cell expansion, including genes of auxin metabolism and signalling. Taken together, these data show that VvCEB1 is a fruit-specific bHLH transcription factor involved in grape berry development.
authors: Université de Bordeaux, INRA/ ISVV, Ecophysiologie et Génomique Fonctionnelle de la Vigne, Villenave d'Ornon, France.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Nicolas
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Lecourieux
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Gomès
authors: Serge
authors: S
authors: Delrot
authors: Fatma
authors: F
authors: Lecourieux
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049108:Cell Enlargement; D048429:Cell Size; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D059828:Plant Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D027843:Vitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins