During pedicel abscission in tomato, L-DOPA couples SlIDL6 peptide signaling to ROS-mediated cell separation

During pedicel abscission in tomato, L-DOPA couples SlIDL6 peptide signaling to ROS-mediated cell separation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article During pedicel abscission in tomato, L-DOPA couples SlIDL6 peptide signaling to ROS-mediated cell separation Tao Xu, Yanyun Tu, Xianfeng Liu, Lina Cheng, Yue Cai, Heyang Zhang, and 12 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9357011/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Abscission is a developmentally programmed cell separation process initiated by the peptide INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION (IDA), which promotes organ shedding through reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling. While the IDA receptor HAESA and downstream mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are conserved across plants, the mechanism linking IDA perception to ROS production has remained enigmatic. Here, we identify L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as a pH-sensitive redox effector that directly couples SlIDL6-HAESA-like-1/2/3 (SlHSL1/2/3) signaling to a localized H2O2 burst during pedicel abscission in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Activation of the SlIDL6-SlHSL1/2/3 module recruits SlMAPK1/2/3, which phosphorylate the transcription factor SlWRKY73 at Ser-178, stabilizing it and driving expression of SlCYP76B23, a rate-limiting enzyme in L-DOPA biosynthesis. Concurrently, SlMAPK1/2/3 activity induces cytoplasmic alkalinization in the abscission zone, creating a permissive environment for the non-enzymatic oxidation of L-DOPA into H2O2. This spatially restricted oxidative signal activates cell wall-modifying enzymes, culminating in organ separation. Our findings reveal an RBOH-independent ROS-generating pathway and establish L-DOPA not as a passive metabolic intermediate, but as a developmentally deployed redox messenger that translates peptide signals into redox-driven cell separation. Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant signalling Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Secondary metabolism Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant physiology Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant molecular biology Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryFigDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.pdf Supplementary Figure SupplementaryDataDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.xlsx Supplementary Data sourcedataDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.xlsx Source data Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9357011","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":624473940,"identity":"5b021385-3243-481e-8f31-2a408e45fd40","order_by":0,"name":"Tao Xu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA7ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFAD9gYo4wBx6g0YGHhgSonXIpFApBb5GcnPpHnb/sjzSz5/JvGzjUGO70YC4+cCfMbfSDOTnNlmYDhzdo6ZZG8bg7HkjQRm6Rn4tEgkmEl8bDNg3HA7h02Ct40hccONBDZmHrwOS/8mkdhmYL/h5vFnkn/bGOoJamG4kQO2BWg4gxnQUwwJBoS0GJx5U2w545xx8syeHGNrmXMShjPPPGyWxuuw9vSNt3nK5Gz72Y8/vPmmzEae73jywc94HSaQAGeySABjB0gzNuDTwMDAfwDOZP6AX+koGAWjYBSMVAAApwlKNDv+Ph0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tao","middleName":"","lastName":"Xu","suffix":""},{"id":624473941,"identity":"2851cde8-e8e8-47b2-bc9b-5b25648e5ac6","order_by":1,"name":"Yanyun Tu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yanyun","middleName":"","lastName":"Tu","suffix":""},{"id":624473942,"identity":"6e85b170-9d41-40bf-8d7b-4833a26b34e5","order_by":2,"name":"Xianfeng Liu","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0458-5432","institution":"Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xianfeng","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""},{"id":624473943,"identity":"a049db7d-7fd7-49c6-8d5a-e326530066ab","order_by":3,"name":"Lina Cheng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lina","middleName":"","lastName":"Cheng","suffix":""},{"id":624473944,"identity":"3be54077-e0c3-49c1-9c9f-494a6d4e19e3","order_by":4,"name":"Yue Cai","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yue","middleName":"","lastName":"Cai","suffix":""},{"id":624473945,"identity":"1d1a2736-98bf-4f77-bd98-29f0fcaf2da2","order_by":5,"name":"Heyang Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Heyang","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""},{"id":624473946,"identity":"30eb566b-8263-479c-8e6c-e38204993ec1","order_by":6,"name":"Yang Liu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yang","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""},{"id":624473947,"identity":"825771cb-20ba-4fcc-a0da-4ba548376bb4","order_by":7,"name":"Zihao He","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zihao","middleName":"","lastName":"He","suffix":""},{"id":624473948,"identity":"85dd8b4a-3826-46a7-ba10-81a10e6a9cc0","order_by":8,"name":"Lin Shen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lin","middleName":"","lastName":"Shen","suffix":""},{"id":624473949,"identity":"dbde4a3c-5192-481e-ac35-b8b83f4346d2","order_by":9,"name":"Jianzhong Tie","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jianzhong","middleName":"","lastName":"Tie","suffix":""},{"id":624473950,"identity":"70dc492a-5baa-4ac0-ae9e-38ecb8f9fc84","order_by":10,"name":"Sai Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Normal University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sai","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":624473951,"identity":"6aa62644-f3e5-4a2c-8fdb-67633fdf1690","order_by":11,"name":"Siqi Ge","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Siqi","middleName":"","lastName":"Ge","suffix":""},{"id":624473952,"identity":"d1846f13-10b9-4614-addc-0c2b9ab76afe","order_by":12,"name":"Sida Meng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sida","middleName":"","lastName":"Meng","suffix":""},{"id":624473953,"identity":"309a2643-10fe-4eea-8fb8-74ac2e4bd112","order_by":13,"name":"Changhua Tan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Changhua","middleName":"","lastName":"Tan","suffix":""},{"id":624473954,"identity":"42f0b4ec-e129-4818-80cd-979fcc6beed3","order_by":14,"name":"Mingfang Qi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mingfang","middleName":"","lastName":"Qi","suffix":""},{"id":624473955,"identity":"a6fbb8d9-cd5f-479c-be28-b0d71baa2e16","order_by":15,"name":"Lijuan Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Tianjin Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lijuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":624473956,"identity":"f1a35849-1d33-465a-8267-11b811af6806","order_by":16,"name":"Xiaoou Guo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Tianjin Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiaoou","middleName":"","lastName":"Guo","suffix":""},{"id":624473957,"identity":"45bf9a74-fd65-4068-818c-5f567d5410f4","order_by":17,"name":"Tianlai Li","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shenyang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tianlai","middleName":"","lastName":"Li","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-08 12:31:18","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9357011/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9357011/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107487740,"identity":"c1fbccaa-157a-431f-b8c0-c8a5c37ae1a5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:42:37","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2356362,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Article File","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9357011/v1_covered_f729ab77-040c-4d40-80bc-f289d89efc72.pdf"},{"id":107290640,"identity":"cf3cd229-eaeb-4a5b-92b8-e8e1ad2a34cf","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-20 05:31:34","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":1421158,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Supplementary Figure","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryFigDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9357011/v1/9cf20262ad4eaa761c0d945f.pdf"},{"id":107485836,"identity":"d911b75b-9bec-427f-bf4b-2f66b414e53b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:36:26","extension":"xlsx","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":1703375,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSupplementary Data\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryDataDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.xlsx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9357011/v1/c8e76ceef87c1b69a92f4b1b.xlsx"},{"id":107290642,"identity":"5cc1195d-916a-416e-8744-deccc86733f7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-20 05:31:34","extension":"xlsx","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":2629196,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSource data\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"sourcedataDuringpedicelabscissionintomatoLDOPAcouplesSlIDL6peptidesignalingtoROSmediatedcellseparation.xlsx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9357011/v1/1ced7e7fe6bc74873f82f210.xlsx"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"During pedicel abscission in tomato, L-DOPA couples SlIDL6 peptide signaling to ROS-mediated cell separation","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9357011/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9357011/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Abscission is a developmentally programmed cell separation process initiated by the peptide INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION (IDA), which promotes organ shedding through reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling. While the IDA receptor HAESA and downstream mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are conserved across plants, the mechanism linking IDA perception to ROS production has remained enigmatic. Here, we identify L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as a pH-sensitive redox effector that directly couples SlIDL6-HAESA-like-1/2/3 (SlHSL1/2/3) signaling to a localized H2O2 burst during pedicel abscission in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Activation of the SlIDL6-SlHSL1/2/3 module recruits SlMAPK1/2/3, which phosphorylate the transcription factor SlWRKY73 at Ser-178, stabilizing it and driving expression of SlCYP76B23, a rate-limiting enzyme in L-DOPA biosynthesis. Concurrently, SlMAPK1/2/3 activity induces cytoplasmic alkalinization in the abscission zone, creating a permissive environment for the non-enzymatic oxidation of L-DOPA into H2O2. This spatially restricted oxidative signal activates cell wall-modifying enzymes, culminating in organ separation. Our findings reveal an RBOH-independent ROS-generating pathway and establish L-DOPA not as a passive metabolic intermediate, but as a developmentally deployed redox messenger that translates peptide signals into redox-driven cell separation.","manuscriptTitle":"During pedicel abscission in tomato, L-DOPA couples SlIDL6 peptide signaling to ROS-mediated cell separation","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-20 05:31:30","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9357011/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-communications","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"NCOMMS","sideBox":"Learn more about [Nature Communications](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://mts-ncomms.nature.com/","title":"Nature Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Nature Communications","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"bc1805ab-d161-45a7-8f30-d25e70ab7724","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 20th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"This content is not available.","date":"2026-05-03T16:19:55+00:00","index":1,"fulltext":"This content is not available."},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"This content is not available.","date":"2026-05-01T08:29:55+00:00","index":3,"fulltext":"This content is not available."},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"This content is not available.","date":"2026-04-30T11:23:48+00:00","index":2,"fulltext":"This content is not available."}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":66467768,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant signalling"},{"id":66467769,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Secondary metabolism"},{"id":66467770,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant physiology"},{"id":66467771,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant molecular biology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-20T05:31:30+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-20 05:31:30","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9357011","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9357011","identity":"rs-9357011","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}