MADS-box transcription factors play crucial and diverse roles in plant growth and development, and the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the implementation of MADS-box transcription factors in regulating plant architecture and stress responses has not been fully explored in tomato. Here, we found that a novel MADS-box transcription factor, SlMBP22, participated in the control of agronomical traits, tolerance to abiotic stress, and regulation of auxin and gibberellin signalling. Transgenic plants overexpressing SlMBP22 (SlMBP22-OE) displayed pleiotropic phenotypes, including reduced plant height and leaf size, by affecting auxin and/or gibberellin signalling. SlMBP22 was induced by dehydration treatment, and SlMBP22-OE plants were more tolerant to drought stress than wild-type (WT). Furthermore, SlMBP22 overexpression plants accumulated more chlorophyll, starch and soluble sugar than WT, indicating that the darker green leaves might be attributed to increased chlorophyll levels in the transgenic plants. RNA-Seq results showed that the transcript levels of a series of genes related to chloroplast development, chlorophyll metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, hormone signalling, and stress responses were altered. Collectively, our data demonstrate that SlMBP22 plays an important role in both regulating tomato growth and resisting drought stress.

中文翻译：

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番茄中 SlMBP22 的过表达影响植物生长并增强对干旱胁迫的耐受性

MADS-box 转录因子在植物生长和发育以及对生物和非生物胁迫的响应中发挥着重要且多样的作用。然而，尚未在番茄中充分探索 MADS-box 转录因子在调节植物结构和胁迫反应中的实施。在这里，我们发现一种新的 MADS-box 转录因子 SlMBP22 参与了农艺性状的控制、对非生物胁迫的耐受性以及生长素和赤霉素信号传导的调节。通过影响生长素和/或赤霉素信号传导，过表达 SlMBP22 (SlMBP22-OE) 的转基因植物表现出多效性表型，包括降低的植物高度和叶片大小。SlMBP22 由脱水处理诱导，并且 SlMBP22-OE 植物比野生型 (WT) 更耐受干旱胁迫。此外，SlMBP22 过表达植物比 WT 积累了更多的叶绿素、淀粉和可溶性糖，表明较深的绿色叶子可能归因于转基因植物中叶绿素水平的增加。RNA-Seq结果显示，与叶绿体发育、叶绿素代谢、淀粉和蔗糖代谢、激素信号传导和应激反应相关的一系列基因的转录水平发生了改变。总的来说，我们的数据表明 SlMBP22 在调节番茄生长和抵抗干旱胁迫方面发挥着重要作用。叶绿素代谢、淀粉和蔗糖代谢、激素信号传导和应激反应发生了改变。总的来说，我们的数据表明 SlMBP22 在调节番茄生长和抵抗干旱胁迫方面发挥着重要作用。叶绿素代谢、淀粉和蔗糖代谢、激素信号传导和应激反应发生了改变。总的来说，我们的数据表明 SlMBP22 在调节番茄生长和抵抗干旱胁迫方面发挥着重要作用。