Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening is accompanied by the degradation of chlorophylls and the accumulation of carotenoids and flavonoids. Tomato SlMYB72 belongs to the R2R3 MYB subfamily, is located in the nucleus, and possesses transcriptional activator activity. Down-regulation of the SlMYB72 gene produced uneven-colored fruits; that is, dark green spots appeared on immature and mature green fruits, whereas yellow spots appeared on red fruits. Down-regulation of SlMYB72 increased chlorophyll accumulation, chloroplast biogenesis and development, and photosynthesis rate in fruits. This down-regulation decreased lycopene content, promoted β-carotene production and chromoplast development, and increased flavonoid accumulation in fruits. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that down-regulation of SlMYB72 altered the expression levels of genes involved in the biosynthesis of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and flavonoids. SlMYB72 protein interacted with the auxin response factor SlARF4. SlMYB72 directly targeted protochlorophyllide reductase, Mg-chelatase H subunit, and knotted1-like homeobox2 genes and regulated chlorophyll biosynthesis and chloroplast development. SlMYB72 directly bound to phytoene synthase, -carotene isomerase, and lycopene β-cyclase genes and regulated carotenoid biosynthesis. SlMYB72 directly targeted 4-coumarate-coenzyme A ligase and chalcone synthase genes and regulated the biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenolic acid. The uneven color phenotype in RNA interference-SlMYB72 fruits was due to uneven silencing of SlMYB72 and uneven expression of chlorophyll, carotenoid, and flavonoid biosynthesis genes. In summary, this study identified important roles for SlMYB72 in the regulation of chlorophyll, carotenoid, and flavonoid metabolism and provided a potential target to improve fruit nutrition in horticultural crops.

番茄（Solanum lycopersicum）果实的成熟伴随着叶绿素的降解以及类胡萝卜素和类黄酮的积累。番茄SlMYB72属于R2R3 MYB亚家族，位于细胞核中，具有转录激活子活性。SlMYB72基因的下调产生了颜色不均匀的果实；也就是说，在未成熟和成熟的绿色水果上出现深绿色斑点，而在红色水果上出现黄色斑点。下调SlMYB72增加果实中的叶绿素积累，叶绿体的生物发生和发育以及光合作用速率。这种下调降低了番茄红素含量，促进了β-胡萝卜素的产生和色质体的发育，并增加了果实中类黄酮的积累。RNA测序分析表明SlMYB72的下调改变了参与叶绿素，类胡萝卜素和类黄酮生物合成的基因的表达水平。S1MYB72蛋白与生长素反应因子S1ARF4相互作用。SlMYB72直接靶向原叶绿素还原酶，Mg螯合酶H亚基和knotted1样的homeobox2基因，并调节叶绿素的生物合成和叶绿体的发育。S1MYB72直接结合八氢番茄红素合酶，-胡萝卜素异构酶和番茄红素β-环化酶基因，并调节类胡萝卜素的生物合成。S1MYB72直接靶向4-香豆酸酯-辅酶A连接酶和查尔酮合酶基因，并调节类黄酮和酚酸的生物合成。RNA干扰-SlMYB72水果的颜色表型不均是由于SlMYB72的沉默不均和叶绿素，类胡萝卜素和类黄酮生物合成基因的表达不均。总之，这项研究确定了SlMYB72在调节叶绿素，类胡萝卜素和类黄酮代谢中的重要作用，并为改善园艺作物的果实营养提供了潜在的目标。