Dominance induction of fruitlet shedding in Malus x domestica (L. Borkh): molecular changes associated with polar auxin transport

Background: Apple fruitlet abscission is induced by dominance, a process in which hormones such as auxin, cytokinins and strigolactone play a pivotal role. The response to these hormones is controlled by transcription regulators such as Aux/IAA and ARR, whereas auxin transport is controlled by influx and efflux carriers. Results: Seven partial clones encoding auxin efflux carriers (MdPIN1_A, MdPIN1_B, MdPIN10_A, MdPIN10_B, MdPIN4, MdPIN7_A and MdPIN7_B), three encoding auxin influx carriers (MdLAX1, MdLAX2 and MdLAX3) and three encoding type A ARR cytokinin response regulators (MdARR3, MdARR4 and MdARR6) were isolated by the use of degenerate primers. The organization of the PIN multigene family in apple is closer to Medicago truncatula than to Arabidopsis thaliana. The genes are differentially expressed in diverse plant organs and at different developmental stages. MdPIN1 and MdPIN7 are largely more expressed than MdPIN10 and MdPIN4. During abscission, the transcription of these genes increased in the cortex whereas in the seed a sharp fall was observed. The expression of these genes was found to be at least partially controlled by ethylene and auxin. Conclusion: The ethylene burst preceding abscission of fruitlets may be responsible for the decrease in transcript level of MDPIN1, MDARR5 and MDIAA3 in seed. This situation modulates the status of the fruitlet and its fate by hampering the PAT from the seeds down through the abscission zone (AZ) and this brings about the shedding of the fruitlet.