Inter-leaf rhythmicity in Solanum lycopersicum contrasts with neutrality
in wild tomatoes
Abstract
Cells, tissues, and organs harbour complex systems to allow
communication between one another. The biological rhythms can be
contrasting among organs, tissues, and cells, adjusting the physiology
differently along the organism‘s regions. while also synchronising
flowering and metabolism. Here, we revealed that Solanum
lycopersicum manifests more balanced rhythms across the whole plant
than wild tomatoes. Accordingly, the leaf development program is more
coordinated in this organism than in wild species, in that young
S. lycopersicum leaves develop slowly in comparison to mature
leaves. Young leaves from wild tomatoes display higher photosynthetic
rate than mature leaves, while large metabolite accumulations occur
across plant segments. Consequently, diel metabolite levels are rather
similar between young and mature leaves in the wild tomato S.
pennellii, whereas the expression patterns for circadian clock genes
are widely contrasting between differently aged leaves. We further
demonstrated that introduction of domestication alleles into the wild
tomato S. pimpinellifolium appears to synchronize the development
of young and mature leaves, rendering this similar to that observed for
S. lycopersicum. Collectively, the strengthening of inter-organ
relationships in S. lycopersicum indicates an increased
synchronization of its biology, which is probably fundamental to explain
its elevated yield.