Uncoupling FRUITFULL's functions through modification of a protein motif identified by co-ortholog analysis

Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Nov 27;52(21):13290-13304. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkae963.

Abstract

Many plant transcription factors (TFs) are multifunctional and regulate growth and development in more than one tissue. These TFs can generally associate with different protein partners depending on the tissue type, thereby regulating tissue-specific target gene sets. However, how interaction specificity is ensured is still largely unclear. Here, we examine protein-protein interaction specificity using subfunctionalized co-orthologs of the FRUITFULL (FUL) subfamily of MADS-domain TFs. In Arabidopsis, FUL is multifunctional, playing important roles in flowering and fruiting, whereas these functions have partially been divided in the tomato co-orthologs FUL1 and FUL2. By linking protein sequence and function, we discovered a key amino acid motif that determines interaction specificity of MADS-domain TFs, which in Arabidopsis FUL determines the interaction with AGAMOUS and SEPALLATA proteins, linked to the regulation of a subset of targets. This insight offers great opportunities to dissect the biological functions of multifunctional MADS TFs.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis Proteins* / chemistry
  • Arabidopsis Proteins* / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins* / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis* / genetics
  • Arabidopsis* / metabolism
  • Fruit / genetics
  • Fruit / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / chemistry
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • MADS Domain Proteins* / genetics
  • MADS Domain Proteins* / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Solanum lycopersicum / genetics
  • Solanum lycopersicum / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • MADS Domain Proteins
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • GAI protein, Arabidopsis
  • Homeodomain Proteins