title: Peptides interfering with protein-protein interactions in the ethylene signaling pathway delay tomato fruit ripening.
abstract: The plant hormone ethylene is involved in the regulation of several processes with high importance for agricultural applications, e.g. ripening, aging and senescence. Previous work in our group has identified a small peptide (NOP-1) derived from the nuclear localization signal of the Arabidopsis ethylene regulator ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE-2 (EIN2) C-terminal part as efficient inhibitor of ethylene responses. Here, we show that NOP-1 is also able to efficiently disrupt EIN2-ETR1 complex formation in tomato, indicating that the NOP-1 inhibition mode is conserved across plant species. Surface application of NOP-1 on green tomato fruits delays ripening similar to known inhibitors of ethylene perception (MCP) and ethylene biosynthesis (AVG). Fruits treated with NOP-1 showed similar ethylene production as untreated controls underlining that NOP-1 blocks ethylene signaling by targeting an essential interaction in this pathway, while having no effect on ethylene biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Plant Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, D-40204 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Melanie M A
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bisson
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Plant Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, D-40204 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Mareike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kessenbrock
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Plant Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, D-40204 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Plant Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, D-40204 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Plant Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, D-40204 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Laser Physics, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Simona M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cristescu
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Plant Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, D-40204 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Groth
mesh_terms: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000254:growth & development*; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D063245:Plant Development / Q000187:drug effects; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D005030:Ethylenes; D010455:Peptides; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C036216:ethylene