Exploring the master regulator heat stress transcription factor HSFA1a-mediated transcriptional cascade of HSFs in the heat stress response of tomato

Abstract

The tomato heat stress transcription factor A1a (Sly-HSFA1a) acts as the master regulator of the heat stress (HS) by directly regulating the transcription of Sly-HSFA2. However, it is unclear whether the activation of Sly-HSFA2 alone is sufficient to trigger the entire transcriptional cascade downstream of Sly-HSFA1a. Therefore, the present study aims to delineate the Sly-HSFA1a governed downstream HSFs cascade regulating the tomato heat stress response. The study identified several HSFs with common and specific roles in different HS regimes as well as in HS memory. Furthermore, the study established Sly-HSFA7, Sly-HSFA6b, Sly-HSFA4c, Sly-HSFB1 and Sly-HSFB2b as new downstream targets of SlyHSFA1a during heat stress by using virus-induced-gene-silencing (VIGS) of Sly-HSFA1a. Moreover, the silencing of downstream target Sly-HSFA7 and Sly-HSFB1 revealed the orchestration of downstream transcriptional cascade of HSFs regulated individually or in a synergistic manner by Sly-HSFA1a and Sly-HSFA7 along with co-activator Sly-HSFB1. This complex transcriptional cascade of HSFs sheds light on regulatory mechanisms that enable tomato plants to respond to various heat stress conditions to maintain cellular homeostasis.