Ethylene response factors 2 (ERF2) belongs to the AP2/ERF transcription factor family and plays key roles in ethylene signal transduction. The roles of MdERF2 in apple (Malus × domestica) cuticular wax synthesis regulated by ethylene were studied in this work. Result shows that MdERF2 overexpression (ERF2-OE) up-regulated the expression levels of wax-related synthetic genes long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 2 (MdLACS2), Wax synthase1 (MdWSD1), Eceriferum 4 (MdCER4) and Eceriferum 6 (MdCER6), while has no effect on the transcription of Eceriferum 1 (MdCER1), and shows different regulation effects on the expression levels of mid-chain alkane hydroxylase 1 (MdMAH1) between calli and fruit. Furthermore, different MdERF2 expression levels changed the apparent structure of the apple cuticular wax and positively regulated the total wax accumulation. ERF2-OE also increased alkane and alcohol production but decreased acid and ester contents. Thus, ethylene regulated the synthesis of apple cuticular wax at the transcriptional level through MdERF2, thereby altering the wax structure and composition.

乙烯反应因子 2 (ERF2) 属于 AP2/ERF 转录因子家族，在乙烯信号转导中起关键作用。本工作研究了MdERF2在乙烯调控的苹果表皮蜡 合成 中的作用。结果表明，MdERF2过表达（ERF2-OE）上调蜡相关合成基因长链酰基辅酶A合成酶2（MdLACS2）、蜡合成酶1 （MdWSD1）、蜡状体4（MdCER4）和蜡状体6（MdCER6 ）的表达水平。 ) , 而对Eceriferum 1 ( MdCER1)的转录没有影响, 并显示出对愈伤组织和果实之间中链烷羟化酶1 ( MdMAH1)表达水平的不同调节作用。此外，不同的 MdERF2 表达水平改变了苹果表皮蜡的表观结构，并正向调节总蜡的积累。ERF2-OE 还增加了烷烃和醇的产量，但降低了酸和酯的含量。因此，乙烯通过 MdERF2 在转录水平调节苹果表皮蜡的合成，从而改变蜡的结构和组成。