PLATZ, a novel zinc finger DNA-binding protein, plays crucial regulatory roles in the growth and development of various plants and in the modulation of abiotic stress responses. However, knowledge of the functions of PLATZ genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is lacking. In our study, we established stable SlPLATZ17 gene overexpression and knockout lines to further analyze the regulatory functions of SlPLATZ17 under drought and salt stress. It was found that the overexpression lines presented increased drought and salt tolerance under stress. Transcriptome sequencing and screening for interacting proteins revealed that SlPLATZ17 may exert its effects by interacting with POR1, thereby influencing glutathione metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism. In conclusion, the findings lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the role of SlPLATZ17 in stress resistance, as well as facilitating the application of SlPLATZ17 in the breeding of stress-resistant tomato varieties.

Studies on how SlPR5 genes are involved in Pst DC3000 disease resistance response are lacking. Here, 27 members of the tomato SlPR5 gene family were identified and analyzed. Analysis of conserved structural domains and promoter structure revealed that SlPR5 family members are structurally conserved and contain a variety of antidisease and antistress response elements. We screened out SlPR5-3, which was significantly upregulated, through an analysis of the expression pattern of Pst DC3000 in tomato after inoculation. We generated SlPR5-3 mutants via CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and SlPR5-3-overexpressing tomato plants to elucidate the function of this gene. The results showed that the SlPR5-3 overexpression lines had reduced lesions, significantly lower pathogen counts, and significantly higher activity indexes of defense-related enzymes, while the mutant lines showed the opposite, indicating that the SlPR5-3 gene positively regulates the immune response against Pst DC3000 in tomato. In this study, we systematically mined and analyzed the tomato SlPR5 family genes, screened out the important genes in this family for the regulation of Pst DC3000 disease resistance, and verified the disease resistance regulatory function of SlPR5-3, laying the foundation for the theoretical study of tomato Pst DC3000 disease resistance and providing a new molecular target for the future breeding of tomato disease resistance.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is valued for its versatile consumption and rich nutrients. Current research on functional metabolite distribution in tomatoes mostly focuses on a few varieties, limiting comprehensive understanding across different colored types. This study investigated metabolic characteristics and functional metabolite distribution in colored tomatoes via metabolomic analysis and functional metabolite quantification across diverse germplasm resources. Metabolomic analysis identified 910 metabolites from four colored cherry tomato varieties. Significantly differential metabolite analysis revealed most were flavonoids (27 in total) and alkaloids (14 in total). Additionally, KEGG enrichment analysis identified 4 significantly enriched pathways, mainly related to amino acid biosynthesis, degradation, and metabolism. Quantification across 113 tomato germplasm resources revealed that red tomatoes had higher lycopene; brown tomatoes were rich in lycopene, chlorophyll, and β-carotene; green tomatoes contained higher chlorophyll, saponin, vitamin E, and naringenin. This study provides an important reference for consumers to select colored tomatoes and for breeders to conduct targeted genetic improvement.

Seed size affects seed vigor, seedling establishment, and seed utilization in tomato. Yet the genetic basis of this trait remains poorly defined in tomato itself. Here, we describe a stable small–seed mutant, T31, isolated from an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)–mutagenized population of the elite inbred line DL5. Relative to the wild type, T31 showed a 24% reduction in seed width, whereas vegetative growth and major fruit traits were largely unchanged. Throughout this study, ‘seed size’ refers to seed width, which was used as the principal index of seed size because tomato seeds are oblate. Genetic analysis of six populations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁, and BC₂) indicated that the phenotype is controlled by a single recessive locus, designated ssm. Bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA–seq) placed ssm within a 1.77 –Mb interval on chromosome 4. KASP–based fine mapping reduced this interval to 390 kb and identified six EMS–type SNPs. Only one of these SNPs was located in an exon of Solyc04g073950.2, where it caused a Pro337Ser substitution. This gene encodes a VQ motif–containing protein and was designated SlVQ10. To test gene function, we generated CRISPR/Cas9 knockout lines in the DL5 background. Two independent homozygous knockout lines reproduced the small–seed phenotype. Seed size was reduced by 31–33%, and thousand–seed weight decreased by 33–35%. Histological analysis further showed reduced seed–coat cell expansion in the mutants. Together, the genetic and genome–editing data support SlVQ10 as the gene underlying ssm and indicate that it promotes seed size in tomato.

Previously, research has primarily focused on how the environment affects fruit quality, but there is a lack of studies investigating the impact of different growth stages on fruit quality. In this study, a total of 192 differentially abundant metabolites and 5546 differentially expressed genes were categorized into eight modules exhibiting distinct trends, along with an additional module that remained unchanged throughout all growth stages. These modules elucidate the primary metabolic alterations and transcriptional regulatory networks underlying quality variations in tomato fruits at the mature stage across different growth stages (Spike1–Spike3). Furthermore, an investigation was conducted on the module that remained constant throughout the growth stages. It was observed that the soluble sugar content remained stable across the different growth stages, whereas the levels of total phenols and flavonoids exhibited significant variation. Additionally, the principal metabolites influencing tomato flavor—namely aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glucose, fructose, citric acid, α-linolenic acid, and linoleic acid—did not demonstrate significant changes in content. The findings of this study provide novel insights into the formation of tomato quality and establish a theoretical foundation for the cultivation of long-season tomatoes with stable fruit quality.