Decoding VaCOLD1 Function in Grapevines: A Membrane Protein Enhancing Cold Stress Tolerance.

In globally cultivated grapevines, low-temperature stress poses a persistent challenge. Although COLD1 is recognized as a cold receptor in rice, its function in grapevine cold signaling is unclear. Here, we identified VaCOLD1, a transmembrane protein from the cold-tolerant Vitis amurensis Rupr, which is primarily located on plasma and endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Broadly expressed across multiple tissues, VaCOLD1 responds to various environmental stresses, particularly to cold. Its promoter contains distinct hormone- and stress-responsive elements, with GUS assays confirming widespread expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Validation of interaction between VaCOLD1 and VaGPA1, together with their combined expression in yeast and grape calli, notably improved cold endurance. Overexpression of VaCOLD1 enhances cold tolerance in Arabidopsis by strengthening the CBF-COR signaling pathway. This is achieved through shielding against osmotic disturbances and modifying the expression of ABA-mediated genes. These findings emphasize the critical role of the VaCOLD1-VaGPA1 complex in mediating the response to cold stress via the CBF-COR pathway.

Phenotypically abnormal cotyledonary Vitis vinifera embryos differ in anatomy, endogenous hormone levels and transcriptome profiles.

In many perennial fruit species, including grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), the highly complex process of somatic embryogenesis (SE) can result in the formation of a deformed embryo, although the underlying reasons are still poorly understood. Here, V. vinifera cv. 'Chardonnay' cotyledonary embryos with distinct morphologies were used to address this issue. Normal cotyledonary embryos (NCEs) and elongated cotyledonary embryos (ECEs) were observed to have better-developed vasculature and shoot meristems than the vitrified cotyledonary embryos (VCEs) and fused cotyledonary embryos (FCEs), but ECEs were less developed. We determined that the morphological differences in these phenotypically abnormal embryos were likely associated with endogenous hormone levels, since concentrations of the phytohormones indoleacetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in NCEs were higher than in the other three types. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed large differences in gene expression of the hormone signaling pathways in normal and abnormal cotyledonary embryos. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis of the different cotyledonary types allowed the identification of co-regulated gene modules associated with SE, suggesting a role for ERF family genes and other transcription factors (TFs) in regulating morphology. Moreover, an analysis of morphology-specific gene expression indicated that the activation of a specific protein kinase, small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) and certain TFs was closely associated with the formation of normal cotyledonary embryos. Our comparative analyses provide insights into the gene networks regulating somatic cotyledon development and open new avenues for research into plant regeneration and functional genomic studies of malformed embryos.