The transcription factor SlHY5 regulates the ripening of tomato fruit at both the transcriptional and translational levels

Light plays a critical role in plant growth and development, but the mechanisms through which light regulates fruit ripening and nutritional quality in horticultural crops remain largely unknown. Here, we found that ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), a master regulator in the light signaling pathway, is required for normal fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Loss of function of tomato HY5 (SlHY5) impairs pigment accumulation and ethylene biosynthesis. Transcriptome profiling identified 2948 differentially expressed genes, which included 1424 downregulated and 1524 upregulated genes, in the Slhy5 mutants. In addition, genes involved in carotenoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis and ethylene signaling were revealed as direct targets of SlHY5 by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Surprisingly, the expression of a large proportion of genes encoding ribosomal proteins was downregulated in the Slhy5 mutants, and this downregulation pattern was accompanied by a decrease in the abundance of ribosomal proteins. Further analysis demonstrated that SlHY5 affected the translation efficiency of numerous ripening-related genes. These data indicate that SlHY5 regulates fruit ripening both at the transcriptional level by targeting specific molecular pathways and at the translational level by affecting the protein translation machinery. Our findings unravel the regulatory mechanisms of SlHY5 in controlling fruit ripening and nutritional quality and uncover the multifaceted regulation of gene expression by transcription factors.

Automated summary

The HY5 protein in the light signaling pathway is crucial for regulating fruit ripening in tomatoes, affecting pigment accumulation, ethylene biosynthesis, and translation efficiency of ripening-related genes. SlHY5 acts on specific molecular pathways at the transcriptional level and impacts the protein translation machinery at the translational level to control fruit ripening and nutritional quality, showcasing the multifaceted regulation of gene expression by transcription factors.