PavSnRK2.2, a member of the SNF1-related protein kinase 2 family, positively regulates ABA-induced fruit ripening in sweet cherry.

作者：Wei Wang, Baozhen Zeng, Changsheng Zhai, Xiaoming Zhang, Jing Wang, Chuanbao Wu, Chen Feng, Xuwei Duan · 发表于：Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111548 · 研究领域：Medicine

The Sucrose Non-Fermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 2 (SnRK2) family plays a central role in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. While SnRK2s are critical for fruit development and ripening, their functions in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) remain poorly understood. In this study, six PavSnRK2 genes from the genome of cv. Tieton were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, chromosomal localizations, expression profiles during fruit development, and hormonal responses. PavSnRK2.2 was selected for further functional analysis due to its ripening-specific upregulation and ABA-responsive expression pattern. The transient knockdown of PavSnRK2.2 in sweet cherry fruit suppressed ripening and reduced the expression of genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, cell wall degradation, and sugar/acid metabolism. Furthermore, heterologous overexpression of PavSnRK2.2 in tomato significantly accelerated ripening, as shown by earlier onset, faster softening and coloration, and increased sugar accumulation. An immunoprecipitation kinase assay confirmed that PavSnRK2.2 activity is activated by ABA, underscoring its role in ABA-mediated ripening signaling. Our results not only establish PavSnRK2.2 as a positive regulator of ABA-dependent ripening in sweet cherry but also identify it as a potential target for manipulating ripening traits in breeding programs.