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Overexpression of FERONIA receptor-like kinase MdMRLK2 enhances apple cold tolerance by modulating cell wall components, osmotic adjustment substances and anthocyanin biosynthesis
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  • Yuanyuan Jing,
  • Tingting Pei,
  • Chunrong Li,
  • Duanni Wang,
  • Qi Wang,
  • Pengmin Li,
  • Changhai Liu,
  • Fengwang Ma
Yuanyuan Jing
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Tingting Pei
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Chunrong Li
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Duanni Wang
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Qi Wang
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Pengmin Li
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Changhai Liu
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Fengwang Ma
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University
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Abstract

Cold stress is the main abiotic stress in temperate fruit crops, affecting the yield and fruit quality of apple in China and European countries. The plant receptor-like kinase FERONIA is involved in abiotic stresses. However, little is known about its function in apple cold resistance. In this study, the apple FERONIA receptor-like kinase encoding gene MdMRLK2 was rapidly induced by cold treatment. MdMRLK2 overexpression apple plants showed enhanced cold resistance relative to wild-type. Further analyses indicated that, under cold condition, MdMRLK2 overexpression apple plants had i) reduced activities of polygalacturonase, pectinate lyase, pectinesterase and cellulase; ii) higher contents of water insoluble pectin, lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose; iii) more soluble sugars and free amino acids accumulation; iv) reduced photosystem damage. Intriguingly, MdMRLK2 interacted with MdMYBPA1 and promoted its binding to MdANS and MdUFGT promoters, leading to increased anthocyanin biosynthesis. Collectively, these findings unveiled a novel function of apple FERONIA MdMRLK2 in regulating cold resistance.