Tomato is the second largest vegetable crop globally with high nutritional value. Iron is an essential mineral element for tomato growth and development. Recently, a research group from Hangzhou Normal University and  Zhejiang University published their findings in Horticulture Research, revealing the epigenetic regulation of tomato root iron deficiency response by DNA methylation.

 

The study found that dynamic changes in DNA methylation levels were associated with gene expression changes in tomato roots, especially key genes in the iron uptake signaling pathway like bHLH39. Hypermethylation of CG sites at the bHLH39 promoter region could upregulate its expression and enhance tomato's response to iron deficiency.

 

This study not only enriches our understanding of the epigenetic control mechanisms of iron deficiency in plants, but also provides theoretical basis and technical support for breeding tomato varieties tolerant to iron deficiency.