EIN3/EIL调控网络在香蕉果实成熟中的作用解析

香蕉是呼吸跃变型果实，果实成熟受乙烯控制。EIN3/EIL和ERF是乙烯信号转导途径的关键转录因子。目前，有关ERF转录调控果实成熟已有较多报道，而关于EIN3/EIL调控果实成熟的研究关注不多。尽管已有文献报道了香蕉EIN3/EIL转录因子在转录水平上响应果实成熟，但具体调控机制尤其是其下游靶基因、互作蛋白和生物学功能等仍不清楚。我们前期实验表明转录激活子MaEIL2和MaEIL9的转录水平在香蕉果实成熟时期显著上调，据此提出MaEIL2/9可能在香蕉果实成熟过程中起着重要的调控作用。本项目拟以MaEIL2/9为研究对象，通过同源超表达和异源转化番茄鉴定它们的生物学功能，采用DNA-蛋白互作和组学技术研究它们结合下游靶基因的动态变化，并利用蛋白-蛋白互作技术筛选它们的互作蛋白。研究结果可揭示EIN3/EIL转录因子调控果实成熟的分子机制，也为优化果蔬贮运技术提供新的依据。

Banana is a typical climacteric fruit, the ripening of which depends primarily on the control of ethylene. EIN3/EIL and ERF are critical transcription factor families in ethylene signal transduction pathway. Roles played by ERFs in fruit ripening have been studied extensively, however, much less attention has been paid to the analyses of EIN3/EILs in regulating fruit ripening. Moreover, although banana EIN3/EILs have been reported to behave differential expression patterns during the ripening process, little is known about their molecular basis underpinning ripening. Particularly, their downstream targets, interacting proteins and biological functions are largely unknown. Our preliminary study indicated that two EIN3/EIL transcription factors from banana namely MaEIL2 and MaEIL9 which possess transcriptional activation activities were remarkably elevated in the ripening phase of banana fruit. Therefore, the current project are to identify the binding dynamics of downstream targets and interacting proteins of MaEIL2/9 through DNA-protein interaction, ‘Omics’ and protein-protein interaction approaches. Furthermore, their biological functions in fruit ripening would be validated via the over-expression in banana fruit and stable transformed tomato fruit. The results of our project might not only shed light on the molecular machinery of EIN3/EIL transcription factors in controlling fruit ripening, but also provide new evidence for optimizing the postharvest technologies for preservation and transportation of fruits and vegetables.