Genome-Wide Characterization and Identification of Auxin Response Factor (ARF) Gene Family Reveals the Regulation of RrARF5 in AsA Metabolism in Rosa roxburghii Tratt. Fruits
by
, ,
Tu Feng
1,†
,
Zhengliang Sun
2,†,
Mingchun Liu
2,
Hong Zhao
1,
Yizhong Zhang
1,
Pedro Garcia-Caparros
3,
Bin Yang
4 and
Yingdie Yang
1,* 1
School of Ecological Engineering, Guizhou University of Engineering Science, Bijie 551700, China
2
Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
3
Higher Engineering School, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
4
Deyang Guoke Dual Carbon Research Institute, Deyang 618221, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Biology 2025, 14(9), 1156; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14091156
Submission received: 23 July 2025
/
Revised: 23 August 2025
/
Accepted: 26 August 2025
/
Published: 1 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Science)
Simple Summary
Rosa roxburghii is recognized for its exceptional nutritional profile, particularly its high content of Vitamin C. Understanding the regulation mechanism of Vitamin C biosynthesis is vital for nutrition quality improvement in R. roxburghii. Auxin response factor (ARF) family members are key transcription factors involved in various fruit development processes and nutrition quality formation. However, ARF family genes have not yet been identified at the genome-wide level in R. roxburghii. In the present study, we identified 14 auxin response factor (ARF) family genes, which can be divided into four subfamilies. We found that one ARF family member, RrARF5, acts as a putative regulator in the modulation of Vitamin C accumulation through the activation of the expression of RrMDHAR1, a key enzyme involved in Vitamin C biosynthesis. Our findings extend our understanding of Vitamin C biosynthesis regulation and provide a putative target for fruit nutrition improvement.
Abstract
Rosa roxburghii Tratt., a fruit crop known for its high Vitamin C content and other nutritional compounds, has not yet been studied for its auxin response factor (ARF) family members. ARFs are important proteins in auxin-mediated pathways, playing a vital role in plant physiological and biochemical processes such as plant development, and flower and fruit maturation. In the present study, we identified 14 ARF genes (designated as RrARFs) in R. roxburghii, which are distributed across seven chromosomes and grouped into four subfamilies. An analysis of cis-acting elements revealed that these genes might be involved in various biological processes, including plant development, flower development, light responses, cell cycle regulation, phytohormone responses, and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. A gene expression analysis demonstrated differential expression of RrARF genes across different tissues and stages of fruit development, with four members showing higher expression during the fruit ripening stages. Furthermore, a coexpression analysis identified that RrARF5 was highly coexpressed with RrMDHAR1, a key enzyme involved in Vitamin C biosynthesis. Moreover, transactivation assays and transient overexpression experiments confirmed that RrARF5 activates the transcription of RrMDHAR1. The findings of this study suggest a potential role of the ARF gene family in Vitamin C accumulation in R. roxburghii and enhance our understanding of the diverse regulatory function of the ARF gene family in plants.
Keywords:
R. roxburghii; ARF; genome-wide identification; fruit development; Vitamin C
