The study identified a transcriptional regulatory module, StbZIP53-like2–StERF091, that suppresses the activity of key polyphenol oxidase genes linked to browning. By showing how glutamic acid activates this gene-control system, the work provides a clearer molecular basis for safer anti-browning strategies and may support the future development of quality-preserving treatments for fresh-cut potato products and other minimally processed vegetables.
Fresh-cut potatoes are increasingly popular because they fit modern food habits, but their shelf life is limited by rapid enzymatic browning after cutting. Existing methods to control browning include chemical, physical, and biological approaches, yet each has drawbacks. Some chemicals raise food-safety concerns, while physical treatments may cause off-flavors, and many biological methods are still difficult to commercialize. Earlier work had already shown that glutamic acid could reduce browning in fresh-cut potatoes, but the molecular mechanism remained unclear. That unresolved question made it necessary to investigate how glutamic acid regulates browning-related genes and upstream transcription factors in fresh-cut potato tissue.
A study (DOI:10.48130/ph-0026-0004) published in Plant Hormones on 20 March 2026 by Jingying Shi’s & Zunyang Song’s team, Shandong Agricultural University, demonstrates that glutamic acid-induced StbZIP53-like2 and StERF091 form a cooperative regulatory module that represses StPPO2 and StPPO3, thereby alleviating browning in fresh-cut potatoes.
The team first prepared fresh-cut potato shreds and compared untreated samples with samples immersed in a glutamic acid solution, then stored them at 4 °C and collected tissues across multiple time points. They measured ethylene production, performed RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analyses, and screened for transcription factors whose expression changed under glutamic acid treatment. Among 11 bZIP genes detected, StbZIP53-like2 stood out because its expression was strongly induced by glutamic acid. Subcellular localization assays showed that this protein is localized in the nucleus, consistent with its proposed role as a transcription factor. The researchers then examined whether StbZIP53-like2 directly controlled known browning-associated genes. Dual-luciferase assays showed that it repressed the promoter activity of StPPO3, while EMSA and yeast one-hybrid experiments confirmed direct binding to the C-box motif in the StPPO3 promoter. To identify interacting partners, the team screened a cDNA library and found StERF091, another glutamic acid-induced transcription factor. Yeast two-hybrid, GST pull-down, and co-immunoprecipitation assays together demonstrated that StbZIP53-like2 physically interacts with StERF091 both in vitro and in vivo. Like StbZIP53-like2, StERF091 was also localized in the nucleus. Next, the group tested the function of StERF091 in regulating browning genes. They found that StERF091 repressed the promoter activities of StPPO2 and StPPO3, but not StPPO7. EMSA and yeast one-hybrid assays further showed that StERF091 directly binds the GCC-box motifs in the StPPO2 and StPPO3 promoters. Most importantly, co-expression assays revealed that when StbZIP53-like2 and StERF091 acted together, repression of StPPO2 and StPPO3 became stronger than with either factor alone. This demonstrated that the two proteins form a functional inhibitory module that amplifies the anti-browning response triggered by glutamic acid.
Overall, the study shows that glutamic acid alleviates the browning of fresh-cut potatoes by inducing two transcriptional repressors, StbZIP53-like2 and StERF091, which cooperate to suppress StPPO2 and StPPO3. The findings move beyond a simple observation that glutamic acid works and explain why it works at the molecular level. This insight may help guide future preservation technologies aimed at extending the shelf life, visual quality, and commercial value of fresh-cut produce.
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References
DOI
10.48130/ph-0026-0004
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.48130/ph-0026-0004
Funding information
This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2023QC010), the Key R & D project of Shandong Province (Grant No. 2021TZXD007) and the Potato Industry Innovation Team for Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System of Shandong Province (SDAIT-16-11).
About Plant Hormones
Plant Hormones (e-ISSN 3067-221X) is an open access, online-only, academic journal publishing rigorously peer-reviewed original articles, reviews, break-through methods, editorials, and perspectives on broad aspects of plant hormone biosynthesis, signal transduction, and crosstalk. The journal primarily publishes fundamental research that represents significant advances or new insight into specialized areas of plant hormones, and review articles that provide comprehensive and critical review of current research areas and offer directions or perspectives for future research. The journal publishes applied research that has significant implications for the development of agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. Plant Hormones also provides a community forum by publishing editorials and perspective papers for expressing opinions on specific issues or new perspectives about existing research on particular topics. Plant Hormones is hosted by Chongqing University, and published by Maximum Academic Press.