Vítor da Silveira Falavigna, Edouard Severing, Xuelei Lai, Joan Estevan, Isabelle Farrera, Véronique Hugouvieux, Luís Fernando Revers, Chloe Zubieta, George Coupland, Evelyne Costes, Fernando Andrés.First published: 04 September 2021.https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17710

Abstract

• A group of MADS transcription factors (TFs) are believed to control temperature-mediated bud dormancy. These TFs are encoded by genes similar to SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) from Arabidopsis and called DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM). MADS proteins form transcriptional complexes whose combinatory composition define their molecular function. However, how MADS multimeric complexes control the dormancy cycle in trees is unclear.
• Apple MdDAM and other dormancy-related MADS proteins form complexes with MdSVPa, which is essential for the transcriptional complexes ability to bind to DNA. Sequential DNA-affinity purification sequencing (seq-DAP-seq) was performed to define the genome-wide binding sites of apple MADS TF complexes. Target genes associated with the binding sites were identified by combining seq-DAP-seq data with transcriptomics datasets obtained by the glucocorticoid receptor system, and RNA-seq dhttps://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Falavigna%2C+V%C3%ADtor+da+Silveiraata related to apple dormancy.
• We have determined a gene regulatory network (GRN) formed by MdSVPa-containing complexes, which regulate the dormancy cycle in response to environmental cues and hormonal signaling pathways. Moreover, novel molecular evidence on the evolutionary functional segregation between DAM and SVP proteins in the Rosaceae is presented.
• MdSVPa sequentially forms complexes with the MADS TFs that predominate at each dormancy phase, altering its DNA-binding specificity and, therefore, the transcriptional regulation of its target genes.