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Article|16 Jul 2025|OPEN
H2S promotes flowering in Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis by persulfidation of the splicing factor BraATO2
Xuefeng Hao1 ,† , Weier Li2 ,† , Haiyan Cao1 ,† , Fulin Tang2 ,† , Tian Ma2 , Jiao Zhang2 , Liping Zhang2 , Limei Chen3 , Zhuping Jin2 , and Yanxi Pei,1,2 ,
1College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Taiyuan Normal University, 319 Daxue Street, Yuci District, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province 030619, China
2School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, Nanzhonghuan East Street No. 63, Xiaodian District, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province 030032, China
3State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road No. 2, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
*Corresponding author. E-mail: jinzhuping@sxu.edu.cn,peiyanxi@sxu.edu.cn
†Xuefeng Hao,Weier Li,Haiyan Cao and Fulin Tang contributed equally to the study.

Horticulture Research 12,
Article number: uhaf190 (2025)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhaf190
Views: 153

Received: 09 Dec 2024
Accepted: 11 Jul 2025
Published online: 16 Jul 2025

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a newly identified gasotransmitter that plays an irreplaceable physiological role in plant growth, development, and environmental responses through persulfidation of cysteine (Cys) residues (RSSH). However, reports on the direct RSSH targets of H2S in plants remain limited. The flowering regulation mechanisms of Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis are a significant scientific issue in the crop production industry; however, they remain poorly understood. BraATO2 is an important splicing factor in genetic alternative splicing (AS). Our study demonstrated that H2S regulated BraATO2 function by persulfidating the Cys residue at position 416. In turn, this influenced the AS patterns of multiple genes in B. rapa, specifically the flowering regulator BraAGL31/MAF2 within the FLOWERING LOCUS C-like (FLC-like) gene family, causing accelerated flowering. This study identified a new direct target of H2S and uncovered a novel pathway influencing flowering in B. rapa. Furthermore, the study findings provide fresh insights into the development of innovative flowering regulators for plants.