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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2026, Vol. 25 Issue (8): 3228-3239    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.018
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EjRabF2b enhances cold resistance in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) through antioxidant regulation

Hao Fu1, 2, 3, Qian Chen1, 2, Shunyuan Yong1, 2, Toru Fujiwara3, Jiangbo Dang1, 2, Danlong Jing1, 2, Di Wu1, 2, Guolu Liang1, 2#, Qigao Guo1, 2#

1 Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education)/College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China

2 State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land/Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China

3 Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan

 Highlights 
EjRabF2b is significantly upregulated in loquat under cold stress, indicating its strong responsiveness to low-temperature signals.
EjRabF2b influences cold tolerance by modulating antioxidant enzyme activity and stabilizing cell membrane structure.
EjZAT10 directly binds to the promoter of EjRabF2b and activates its transcription, revealing a key regulatory module in the cold stress response.
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摘要  

枇杷(Eriobotrya japonica)是一种常绿果树,原产于中国,其花期通常在冬季(10月至次年1月),使其在关键的生殖阶段易受低温胁迫。然而,枇杷耐寒性的分子机制尚不清楚。本研究基于多个枇杷品种的转录组数据,采用加权基因共表达网络分析(WGCNA),鉴定出两个与低温处理高度相关的基因模块(brown 模块和 turquoise 模块)。在多个低温响应候选基因中,Rab5 家族 GTP 酶 EjRabF2b 在低温条件下持续上调。功能验证显示,EjRabF2b 在拟南芥和番茄中过表达显著增强了植物的耐寒性,而在枇杷中沉默该基因则削弱了其抗寒能力。在机制上,EjRabF2b 有助于维持细胞膜的完整性并增强抗氧化酶活性。启动子分析与互作验证进一步证实,C2H2 型转录因子 EjZAT10 可直接结合 EjRabF2b 启动子并在低温胁迫下激活其转录。综上,本研究揭示了一个由 EjZAT10 和 EjRabF2b 构成的调控模块,其通过囊泡介导的抗氧化防御与膜保护机制参与枇杷的低温适应过程,为耐寒品种的分子育种提供了理论基础和潜在靶点。



Abstract  

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is an evergreen fruit tree native to China, with a flowering period that typically occurs in winter (October to January), making it vulnerable to low-temperature stress during critical reproductive stages.  However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cold tolerance in loquat remain largely unclear.  In this study, transcriptome data from multiple loquat cultivars were analyzed using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), identifying two gene modules (brown and turquoise modules) highly associated with cold treatment.  Among the cold-responsive candidates, the Rab5 family GTPase EjRabF2b was consistently upregulated under low-temperature conditions.  Functional validation revealed that overexpression of EjRabF2b in Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato significantly enhanced cold tolerance, while its silencing in loquat compromised stress resistance.  Mechanistically, EjRabF2b contributed to maintaining cell membrane integrity and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity.  Promoter analysis and interaction assays further confirmed that the C2H2-type transcription factor EjZAT10 directly binds to the promoter of EjRabF2b and activates its transcription under cold stress.  Collectively, this study uncovers a regulatory module composed of EjZAT10 and EjRabF2b that participates in loquat cold adaptation through vesicle-mediated antioxidant defense and membrane protection, offering a theoretical foundation and potential targets for the molecular breeding of cold-tolerant cultivars.

Keywords:  loquat        cold tolerance        EjRabF2b        transcription factors        EjZAT10  
Received: 07 April 2025   Accepted: 15 September 2025 Online: 01 November 2025  
Fund: Dr. Hao Fu acknowledges the support of the China Scholarship Council Program (202406990071).  This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFD1600800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32470386), the Chongqing Science and Technology Commission, China (cstc2021jscx-gksbX0010 and cstc2024ycjh-bgzxm0202), Characteristic Fruit Industry and Technology System Innovation Team of Chongqing Agriculture and Rural Affairs Commission, China (2020[3]01), and the Chongqing Postgraduate Research and Innovation Program, China (CYB22133).
About author:  Hao Fu, E-mail: fh1994@126.com; #Correspondence Guolu Liang, E-mail: lianggl@swu.edu.cn; Qigao Guo, E-mail: qgguo@126.com

Cite this article: 

Hao Fu, Qian Chen, Shunyuan Yong, Toru Fujiwara, Jiangbo Dang, Danlong Jing, Di Wu, Guolu Liang, Qigao Guo. 2026. EjRabF2b enhances cold resistance in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) through antioxidant regulation. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(8): 3228-3239.

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