The JAW-TCP-FUL genetic axis triggers an early reorientation of cell anisotropy to initiate and drive fertilization-dependent fruit elongation in Arabidopsis

Sharma, A. N.; G, K.; V, A.; S. S., N. S.; Perumadaraya, A. J.; Khadeeja, M.; Pradeep, D.; Basavaraju, S.; Chandra, K.; Rangarajan, A. N.; Nath, U.

doi:10.1101/2025.05.20.655035

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.05.20.655035

The JAW-TCP-FUL genetic axis triggers an early reorientation of cell anisotropy to initiate and drive fertilization-dependent fruit elongation in Arabidopsis

Sharma, A. N.·G, K.·V, A.·S. S., N. S.·Perumadaraya, A. J.·Khadeeja, M.·Pradeep, D.·Basavaraju, S.·Chandra, K.·Rangarajan, A. N.·Nath, U.

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Abstract

In angiosperms, the ovary grows and develops into a fruit after fertilization, and the seeds are formed within to ensure reproductive success. Although genetic regulators suppressing fertilization-independent fruit growth or parthenocarpy have been identified in the Brassicaceae model Arabidopsis thaliana, the fertilization-dependent activator of fruit growth has not been elucidated. Here, we show that the miR319-regulated TCP transcription factors (JAW-TCPs) directly activate the transcription of the FRUITFULL (FUL) gene and promote fruit morphogenesis. By activating FUL, JAW-TCPs indirectly repress the four valve-margin specifying genes SHATTERPROOF1, SHATTERPROOF2, INDEHISCENT and ALCATRAZ in the valves. Mutating these genes suppresses defects caused by the combined loss of JAW-TCPs and FUL. Through extensive confocal imaging studies, we deciphered the cellular basis of JAW-TCP function revealing that JAW-TCPs promote fruit elongation by triggering the reorientation of cell anisotropy along the length axis at an early growth stage after fertilization. Our study uncovers a fertilization-dependent genetic module driving fruit elongation and sets the stage to identify other genetic regulators in this pathway.

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Sharma, A. N., G, K., V, A., S. S., N. S., Perumadaraya, A. J., Khadeeja, M., Pradeep, D., Basavaraju, S., Chandra, K., Rangarajan, A. N., Nath, U.. 2025-05-23. The JAW-TCP-FUL genetic axis triggers an early reorientation of cell anisotropy to initiate and drive fertilization-dependent fruit elongation in Arabidopsis. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.20.655035

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