Tomato STEROL GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE 1 silencing unveils a major role of steryl glycosides in plant and fruit development

Free and glycosylated sterols localize in the plant cell plasma membrane, where combination with other lipids regulate its structure function. The role of regulating membrane-associated biological processes is more relevant plants like tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), which are predominant sterols. A proper ratio free versus has proven to be essential for performance several species, but almost nothing known tomato. To assess fruit development, we generated transgenic lines cultivar Micro-Tom expressing two different amiRNAs devised silence STEROL GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE 1, most actively expressed four genes encoding sterol glycosyltransferases this plant. 1 gene silencing caused moderate dwarfism reduced size. Analysis profile throughout development demonstrated that maintenance levels these compounds during early stages normal growth, since trigger a transcriptional downregulatory response affects involved critical such as seed filling, wall extension auxin signaling.