Molecular cloning of cryptochrome 1 from apple and its functional characterization in Arabidopsis

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol. 67; pp. 169 - 177
• Main Authors: Li, Yuan-Yuan, Mao, Ke, Zhao, Cheng, Zhang, Rui-Fen, Zhao, Xian-Yan, Zhang, Hua-Lei, Shu, Huai-Rui, Hao, Yu-Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01.06.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Apple; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cloning, Molecular; Cryptochromes - genetics; Cryptochromes - metabolism; Functional characterization; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Malus - genetics; Malus - metabolism; MdCRY1; Molecular cloning; Plant physiology and development; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; MdCRY1; Apple; Molecular cloning; Arabidopsis; Functional characterization; Photoreceptor; Flavoprotein; Arabidopsis thaliana; Plant physiology; Cruciferae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Experimental plant
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2013.02.031

Cryptochromes are blue-light photoreceptors involved in regulating many aspects of plant growth and development. Investigations of cryptochromes in plants have largely focused on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), rice (Oryza sativa) and pea (Pisum sativum). Here, we isolated the cryptochrome 1 gene from apple (Malus domestica) (MdCRY1) and analyzed its function in transgenic Arabidopsis. The predicted MdCRY1 protein was most closely homologous to strawberry CRY1. In terms of transcript levels, MdCRY1 expression was up-regulated by light. The function of MdCRY1 was analyzed through heterologous expression in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of MdCRY1 in Arabidopsis is able to rescue the cry1 mutant phenotype, inhibit hypocotyl elongation, promote root growth, and enhance anthocyanin accumulation in wild-type seedlings under blue light. These data provide functional evidence for a role of MdCRY1 in controlling photomorphogenesis under blue light and indicate that CRY1 function is conserved between Arabidopsis and apple. Furthermore, we found that MdCRY1 interacts with AtCOP1 in both yeast and onion cells. This interaction may represent an important regulatory mechanism in blue-light signaling pathway in apple. •We cloned a blue light receptor gene MdCRY1 from apple (Malus domestica).•The functional complementation of MdCRY1 was performed in Arabidopsis cry1 mutant.•MdCRY1 functions to regulate hypocotyl and root growth, and anthocyanin accumulation.•We found the interaction between MdCRY1 and AtCOP1.