Cover Image:
Deciphering how environmental factors and epigenetic modifications regulate key metabolic pathways provides novel insights for crop breeding and optimization of cultivation conditions. Zhang et al. (pages 383–405) revealed that light signal‐mediated epigenetic regulation affects fruit ripening and quality in tomato. As shown on the cover, light signals act via the photoreceptors phytochrome B 2 (phyB 2 ), and cryptochrome 1a (CRY1a), which are represented as lights carried by helicopters, to induce expression of the DNA demethylase gene DEMETERLIKE2 ( DML2 ). These photoreceptors act through the transcription factor ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), which is represented as a person atop a tomato shoot. The inset represents DML2‐mediated epigenetic changes to DNA methylation. These changes regulate ripening‐related genes and thus accelerate fruit ripening and enhance fruit quality.
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jipb.70161
- Primary Topic
- Light effects on plants
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00