2. Academic Validation
  3. Transcription factor SlJIG orchestrates multi-layer defense in tomato against the invasive pest Phthorimaea absoluta

Transcription factor SlJIG orchestrates multi-layer defense in tomato against the invasive pest Phthorimaea absoluta

  • New Phytol. 2025 Dec 7. doi: 10.1111/nph.70797.
Zhiwei Kang 1 2,  Xiaoyan Guo 1,  Zichao Song 1,  Cheng Qu 3,  Jiancai Li 4,  Lei Deng 2,  Shizhao Jing 1,  Kexin Liu 1,  Na Zhang 5,  Ning Di 3,  Yangdong Guo 5,  Chuanyou Li 2,  Jianghua Sun 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Life Science/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
  • 2 College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China.
  • 3 Institute of Plant Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China.
  • 4 State Key Laboratory of Plant Trait Design, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
  • 5 College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
PMID: 41355216 DOI: 10.1111/nph.70797
Abstract

In Plants, many (bHLH) transcription factors play key roles in processes governing resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Whether and how bHLH transcription factors participate in tomato defense against the invasive pest Phthorimaea absoluta remains unclear. We here reveal that the bHLH transcription factor gene SlJIG responds positively to P. absoluta infestation, to methyl jasmonate-treatment and to wounding. Gene editing SlJIG in tomato Plants increased susceptibility to P. absoluta larvae and attractiveness to oviposition by P. absoluta females but decreased attractiveness to Nesidiocoris poppiusi, a natural predator of P. absoluta. SlJIG was found to enhance resistance through the transcriptional activation of key Enzymes in the α-tomatine (HMGR1 and FPPS1) and flavonoid (CHI1 and FLS) biosynthesis pathway. Gene editing SlJIG decreased biosynthesis of α-tomatine and kaempferol, which are two key defensive metabolites against P. absoluta larvae. It also repressed the transcription of terpene synthesis TPS12, resulting in lower emission of α-humulene, which is correlated with the preference changes of P. absoluta and N. poppiusi. These findings underscore the pivotal role of SlJIG as a regulator of tomato defense against P. absoluta and highlight its potential as a target for molecular breeding to enhance tomato resistance.

Keywords

Phthorimaea absoluta; SlJIG; kaempferol; plant defense; α‐humulene; α‐tomatine.

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