title: Apple F-Box Protein MdMAX2 Regulates Plant Photomorphogenesis and Stress Response.
abstract: MAX2 (MORE AXILLARY GROWTH2) is involved in diverse physiological processes, including photomorphogenesis, the abiotic stress response, as well as karrikin and strigolactone signaling-mediated shoot branching. In this study, MdMAX2, an F-box protein that is a homolog ofArabidopsisMAX2, was identified and characterized. Overexpression ofMdMAX2in apple calli enhanced the accumulation of anthocyanin. Ectopic expression ofMdMAX2inArabidopsisexhibited photomorphogenesis phenotypes, including increased anthocyanin content and decreased hypocotyl length. Further study indicated that MdMAX2 might promote plant photomorphogenesis by affecting the auxin signaling as well as other plant hormones. Transcripts ofMdMAX2were noticeably up-regulated in response to NaCl and Mannitol treatments. Moreover, compared with the wild-type, theMdMAX2-overexpressing apple calli andArabidopsisexhibited increased tolerance to salt and drought stresses. Taken together, these results suggest that MdMAX2 plays a positive regulatory role in plant photomorphogenesis and stress response.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Feng-Jia
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Xiang
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hao
keywords: MAX2; apple; photomorphogenesis; stress responses; strigolactones