Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>

<i>Lonicera japonica</i> Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb whose floral buds are the primary source of pharmacological compounds that require manual harvesting. As a result, its floral bud duration, determined by the opening time, is a key determinant of both quality and eco...

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Main Authors: Yanfei Li, Yutong Gan, Guihong Qi, Wenjie Xu, Tianyi Xin, Yuanhao Huang, Lianguo Fu, Lijun Hao, Qian Lou, Xiao Fu, Xiangyun Wei, Lijun Liu, Chengming Liu, Jingyuan Song
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2328
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author Yanfei Li
Yutong Gan
Guihong Qi
Wenjie Xu
Tianyi Xin
Yuanhao Huang
Lianguo Fu
Lijun Hao
Qian Lou
Xiao Fu
Xiangyun Wei
Lijun Liu
Chengming Liu
Jingyuan Song
author_facet Yanfei Li
Yutong Gan
Guihong Qi
Wenjie Xu
Tianyi Xin
Yuanhao Huang
Lianguo Fu
Lijun Hao
Qian Lou
Xiao Fu
Xiangyun Wei
Lijun Liu
Chengming Liu
Jingyuan Song
author_sort Yanfei Li
collection DOAJ
description <i>Lonicera japonica</i> Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb whose floral buds are the primary source of pharmacological compounds that require manual harvesting. As a result, its floral bud duration, determined by the opening time, is a key determinant of both quality and economic value. However, the genetic mechanisms controlling floral bud duration remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed population structure analysis and molecular experiments to identify candidate genes associated with this trait. The improved cultivar Beihua No. 1 (BH1) opens its floral buds significantly later than the landrace Damaohua (DMH). Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) to BH1 indicated that jasmonate acts as a negative regulator of floral bud duration by accelerating floral bud opening. A genome-wide selection scan across 35 germplasms with varying floral bud durations identified the transcription factor <i>LjWRKY50</i> as the causative gene influencing this trait. The dual-luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR experiments showed that LjWRKY50 activates the expression of the jasmonate biosynthesis gene, <i>LjAOS</i>. A functional variant within <i>LjWRKY50</i> (Chr7:24636061) was further developed into a derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) marker. These findings provide valuable insights into the jasmonate-mediated regulation of floral bud duration, offering genetic and marker resources for molecular breeding in <i>L. japonica</i>.
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spelling doaj-art-8f07ad17be284bc5ba00a6aa128598f82025-08-20T03:36:27ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011415232810.3390/plants14152328Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>Yanfei Li0Yutong Gan1Guihong Qi2Wenjie Xu3Tianyi Xin4Yuanhao Huang5Lianguo Fu6Lijun Hao7Qian Lou8Xiao Fu9Xiangyun Wei10Lijun Liu11Chengming Liu12Jingyuan Song13State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, ChinaShandong Honeysuckle Association, Linyi 273300, ChinaShandong Honeysuckle Association, Linyi 273300, ChinaPingyi County Longdingshan Farm Co., Ltd., Linyi 273300, ChinaPingyi County Longdingshan Farm Co., Ltd., Linyi 273300, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China<i>Lonicera japonica</i> Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb whose floral buds are the primary source of pharmacological compounds that require manual harvesting. As a result, its floral bud duration, determined by the opening time, is a key determinant of both quality and economic value. However, the genetic mechanisms controlling floral bud duration remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed population structure analysis and molecular experiments to identify candidate genes associated with this trait. The improved cultivar Beihua No. 1 (BH1) opens its floral buds significantly later than the landrace Damaohua (DMH). Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) to BH1 indicated that jasmonate acts as a negative regulator of floral bud duration by accelerating floral bud opening. A genome-wide selection scan across 35 germplasms with varying floral bud durations identified the transcription factor <i>LjWRKY50</i> as the causative gene influencing this trait. The dual-luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR experiments showed that LjWRKY50 activates the expression of the jasmonate biosynthesis gene, <i>LjAOS</i>. A functional variant within <i>LjWRKY50</i> (Chr7:24636061) was further developed into a derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) marker. These findings provide valuable insights into the jasmonate-mediated regulation of floral bud duration, offering genetic and marker resources for molecular breeding in <i>L. japonica</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2328<i>Lonicera japonica</i>floral bud durationjasmonateresequencing
spellingShingle Yanfei Li
Yutong Gan
Guihong Qi
Wenjie Xu
Tianyi Xin
Yuanhao Huang
Lianguo Fu
Lijun Hao
Qian Lou
Xiao Fu
Xiangyun Wei
Lijun Liu
Chengming Liu
Jingyuan Song
Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
Plants
<i>Lonicera japonica</i>
floral bud duration
jasmonate
resequencing
title Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
title_full Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
title_fullStr Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
title_full_unstemmed Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
title_short Transcription Factor LjWRKY50 Affects Jasmonate-Regulated Floral Bud Duration in <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
title_sort transcription factor ljwrky50 affects jasmonate regulated floral bud duration in i lonicera japonica i
topic <i>Lonicera japonica</i>
floral bud duration
jasmonate
resequencing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2328
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