Enzymatic browning is a key factor contributing to the quality deterioration of fresh-cut stem lettuce. This study demonstrated that sesamol, a natural compound extracted from sesame seeds, effectively inhibited the browning of stem lettuce during storage. Fresh-cut stem lettuce of the control exhibited visible browning on day 2, whereas 500 mg L-1 sesamol effectively prevented browning for up to 8 d. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that sesamol treatment may alleviate browning by modulating phenylpropanoid metabolism, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation. Physiological assays further validated that sesamol suppressed polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity, reduced quinone formation, and inhibited phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, thereby decreasing total phenolic accumulation. In addition, sesamol enhanced catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, improved reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity, and reduced H2O2 and O2- levels. It also decreased lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and lowered malondialdehyde (MDA) content, thereby alleviating membrane lipid peroxidation and ultimately preventing browning in fresh-cut stem lettuce. Our study provides the first evidence of sesamol's inhibitory effect on enzymatic browning, highlighting its potential as a natural anti-browning agent for maintaining postharvest quality of fresh-cut horticultural produce.

Enzymatic browning limits the shelf life and commercial value of fresh-cut stem lettuce. This research examined the browning inhibitory effect of menthol on stem lettuce and its underlying mechanism. Menthol treatment reduced browning and improved the sensory quality of fresh-cut stem lettuce at 4 degrees C. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that menthol modulated gene expression networks associated with phenolic metabolism and oxidative stress responses. Concurrently, it suppressed the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) by up to 84.63 %, 17.70 %, and 85.40 %, respectively, leading to decreased phenolic compound accumulation and quinone formation. Additionally, menthol reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) content by upregulating superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities (30.62 % and 22.51 %, respectively), while simultaneously lowering lipoxygenase (LOX) activity (60.34 %) and alleviating lipid peroxidation. Combined with correlation analysis, the findings revealed that menthol treatment alleviated enzymatic browning of fresh-cut stem lettuce through coordinated modulation of phenolic metabolism and oxidative stress responses, suggesting its promise as an anti-browning agent for fresh-cut produce.

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is historically recognized as a tuberization stimulator, with exogenous application significantly enhancing potato tuber formation. However, the physiological significance of endogenous ABA signaling in tuberization and its underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, by using ABA-insensitive hypermorphic StHAB1G276D-overexpression mutant and StHAB1 knockdown mutant, we demonstrate that ABA signaling is essential for normal tuber formation in potato. Blocking of ABA signaling by StHAB1G276D-overexpression reduces underground stolon sensitivity to leaf-derived tuber-inducing signals. Notably, StHAB1 directly interacts with the tuber-forming signal StSP6A and reduces its phosphorylation level. Transcriptomic and quantitative phosphoproteomic analyses proved that StHAB1G276D modulates gene expression and phosphorylation of key players in the tuberization pathway and gibberellic acid signaling. Collectively, our findings uncover a critical role of endogenous ABA signaling in potato tuber formation and identify a mechanism linking the conserved FLOWERING LOCUS T and ABA pathways, offering molecular insights for accelerating potato tuberization by modulating hormone signaling.

Enzymatic browning severely reduces the commercial value of fresh-cut produce. The results demonstrated that 100 mg/L sesamol significantly alleviated the browning, reduced microbial growth, and maintained the storage quality of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce for up to 8 d. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that sesamol modulated genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, fatty acid degradation, and oxidative stress. Sesamol suppressed polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, thereby reducing quinone and total phenolic accumulation. It also improved DPPH radical scavenging capacity and reduced O2 center dot- levels by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities. Additionally, sesamol decreased lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and lowered MDA content. Molecular docking suggested that sesamol bound to the catalytic regions of PPO and LOX, and also interacted with the amino acid residues of PAL at the non-active site. Overall, sesamol alleviated browning and maintained the storage quality of iceberg lettuce through coordinated regulation of phenolic metabolism and oxidative responses, supporting its potential as a natural anti-browning agent for fresh-cut lettuce under the tested conditions.

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting offers numerous advantages in crop or seed production and can enhance crop yields. This study evaluated four types of LED lights, with three different light spectra and two different light intensities, for their physiological and yield effects on the potato. We found that the LA-H light treatment enhanced potato yields in an artificial growth chamber comparable to those achieved in the field based on yield, organic biomass, plant morphology, leaf photosynthesis parameters, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations under different light treatments. The red-blue irradiance ratio was the primary factor influencing plant morphology and physiology. Incorporating the LA-H system into the minituber production process yielded positive investment returns. Using transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying potato responses to different light treatments and spectra. High-intensity light increased α-solanine concentrations in leaves, with GAME4 (DM8C12G06070) and GAME12 (DM8C12G06060) identified as key genes in its biosynthesis. The distinct cis-acting motifs associated with light intensity and spectrum responses were found. Furthermore, bioengineering approaches targeting putative genes and cis-elements could enhance potato resilience and adaptability to controlled environments.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a key enzyme responsible for enzymatic browning, which significantly affects the quality and marketability of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. 3-Mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) has been identified as a promising natural compound with potential anti-browning properties. This study investigated the efficacy of 3-MPA as an anti-browning agent for fresh-cut potatoes and tobacco leaf pulp. Various concentrations of 3-MPA were evaluated, with 50 mg/L identified as the optimal treatment level for inhibiting enzymatic browning while maintaining sensory quality. 3-MPA treatment enhanced antioxidant capacity, reduced PPO activity, and mitigated quinone formation in potato samples. Molecular docking simulations and dynamics analyses revealed that 3-MPA competitively binds to PPO's active site, forming a stable enzyme-inhibitor complex that effectively blocks substrate access. The inhibitory mechanism involves both direct enzyme interaction and pH reduction. 3-MPA demonstrated superior potency to conventional anti-browning agents, requiring lower concentrations for comparable effects. These findings provide insights into 3-MPA's molecular mechanism of action and establish its potential as a promising anti-browning additive for food preservation applications.

Cold-induced sweetening (CIS) in potato tubers represents a significant challenge for the potato processing industry, characterized by the accumulation of reducing sugars during cold storage that leads to undesirable browning and potential acrylamide formation during frying. This comprehensive review integrates current understanding of CIS mechanisms, from pre-harvest factors through molecular regulation to breeding strategies. Recent multi-omics studies have revealed complex regulatory networks involving transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic modifications. Key metabolic pathways include starch degradation, primarily regulated by β-amylase (BAM) and starch phosphorylase (PHO1), sucrose biosynthesis controlled by UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), and sucrose degradation mediated by vacuolar invertase (StVInv). The discovery of VInvIn2En, a cold-responsive enhancer in StVInv's second intron, has provided new insights into transcriptional regulation. Notably, the interaction between StVInv and its inhibitor (StInvInh2), modulated by the SnRK1 complex, emerges as a central regulatory mechanism. The role of tonoplast sugar transporters (TST), particularly StTST1, has been identified as crucial in sugar compartmentalization. Environmental factors, including ethylene and hypoxia, significantly influence CIS through distinct molecular mechanisms. Breeding efforts have leveraged wild Solanum species and molecular tools, including CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, to develop CIS-resistant varieties. Despite these advances, challenges remain in understanding plastidial transport mechanisms, regulatory networks, and translating molecular insights into practical breeding applications. Future directions emphasize the need for integrated approaches combining genetic improvement, optimized storage conditions, and enhanced understanding of regulatory mechanisms to develop sustainable solutions for the potato industry.

Cold-induced sweetening (CIS) in potatoes is a significant challenge affecting the quality and marketability of processed potato products. This study aims to decipher the regulatory mechanisms underlying CIS through integrated time-course transcriptome and metabolome analysis. Freshly harvested potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. ‘Netherlands No. 15’) were stored at 4°C and 20°C for various durations. RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR were employed to analyze gene expression changes, while metabolomic profiling was conducted using UHPLC-MS/MS. Our results reveal significant alterations in carbohydrate metabolism, with a marked increase in reducing sugars during cold storage. Critical enzymes involved in starch degradation, such as β-amylases (StBAM1, StBAM9), and sucrose metabolic genes (StUGPase2, StVInv) were upregulated, while starch synthesis genes were downregulated. Co-expression analysis identified potential transcription factors, including StHSFA2 and StAPRR2, which may regulate these metabolic pathways. Functional assays demonstrated that StHSFA2 significantly activates the promoters of StBAM1 and StUGPase2, while StAPRR2 shows specific activation of the StVInv enhancer. These findings suggest distinct but complementary roles for StHSFA2 and StAPRR2 in regulating starch degradation and sucrose metabolism during CIS. This comprehensive analysis provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of CIS and identifies potential targets for genetic manipulation to mitigate its effects, thereby enhancing the storage quality and processing performance of potatoes.

In this study, we treated tobacco seedlings with 0, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg Pb2 +, and explored the response mechanism of tobacco under Pb stress through a combination of growth physiology and metabolomics analysis. The physiological results showed that compared with CK, with the increase of Pb concentration, Pb treatment inhibited tobacco growth, reduced the biomass and photosynthetic pigment content of tobacco seedlings, and severely damaged the chloroplast structure. In addition, compared with CK, the pore conductivity and pore density of Pb800 treatment decreased by 45.77 % and 93.55 %, respectively. Pb treatment disrupted the cell membrane system, and Pb800 treatment increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in leaves and roots by 67.65 % and 31.90 %, respectively. Meanwhile, Pb treatment increased the activity of tobacco SOD and POD enzymes. Metabolomics results showed that Pb stress enhanced tryptophan metabolism, glutathione metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, as well as cysteine and methionine metabolism pathways. These results indicate that increasing the content of photosynthetic pigments and hormones, clearing reactive oxygen species by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, and improving amino acid metabolism may play an important role in reducing the toxicity of Pb to tobacco.

Sugar transporters play pivotal roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the function of sugar transporters in potato (Solanum tuberosum) is still obscure. In this study, the function of potato tonoplast sugar transporter 1 (StTST1) in subcellular sugar compartmentation and abiotic stress tolerance was characterized. Heterologous expression assays in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain W303) demonstrated that StTST1 mediates sucrose transporting into the vacuole. Moreover overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) of StTST1 in potato altered leafy sugar content including sucrose, glucose, and fructose without affecting the activity of key metabolic enzymes. Intriguingly, RNAi-mediated suppression of StTST1 enhanced freezing tolerance and compromised drought tolerance. In contrast, overexpression of StTST1 enhanced drought tolerance but reduced freezing tolerance. Our results demonstrate that StTST1 dynamically regulates subcellular sugar partitioning and differentially modulates freezing and drought stress responses. These findings highlight the potential of targeted manipulation of sugar transporters to modulate crop resilience to multiple abiotic stresses.

Enzymatic browning, caused by polyphenol oxidase (PPO), degrades fresh-cut produce, resulting in significant economic losses. This study investigates ethyl 3-mercaptopropionate (EMP), a safe food flavoring, as a novel PPO inhibitor. EMP at 50-100 μL/L effectively prevented browning in both fresh-cut potatoes and tobacco leaf pulp, performing comparably to the standard inhibitor sodium bisulfite but offering better safety. Purified potato PPO showed nanomolar sensitivity to EMP with an IC₅₀ of 156.7 ± 17.26 nM. Molecular modeling and dynamics simulations revealed that EMP acts as a competitive inhibitor, competing with the natural substrate for the PPO active site. By binding key active site residues, including copper-coordinating histidines, EMP induces a more rigid enzyme structure, hindering its catalytic activity. These findings establish EMP as a potent competitive inhibitor, presenting a promising, safe, and effective strategy to control enzymatic browning in fresh-cut produce. This research also provides valuable mechanistic insights for developing improved anti-browning methods.

Soybean is an important source of oil, protein, and feed. However, its yield is far below that of major cereal crops. The green revolution increased the yield of cereal crops partially through high-density planting of lodging-resistant semi-dwarf varieties, but required more nitrogen fertilizers, posing an environmental threat. Genes that can improve nitrogen use efficiency need to be integrated into semi-dwarf varieties to avoid the overuse of fertilizers without the loss of dwarfism. Unlike cereal crops, soybean can assimilate atmospheric nitrogen through symbiotic bacteria. Here, we created new alleles of GmGID1-2 (Glycine max GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF 1-2) using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) editing, which improved soybean architecture, yield, seed oil content, and nitrogen fixation, by regulation of important pathways and known genes related to branching, lipid metabolism, and nodule symbiosis. GmGID1-2 knockout reduced plant height, and increased stem diameter and strength, number of branches, nodes on the primary stem, pods, and seeds per plant, leading to an increase in seed weight per plant and yield in soybean. The nodule number, nodule weight, nitrogenase activity, and nitrogen content were also improved in GmGID1-2 knockout soybean lines, which is novel compared with the semi-dwarf genes in cereal crops. No loss-of-function allele for GmGID1-2 was identified in soybean germplasm and the edited GmGID1-2s are superior to the natural alleles, suggesting the GmGID1-2 knockout mutants generated in this study are valuable genetic resources to further improve soybean yield and seed oil content in future breeding programs. This study illustrates the pleiotropic functions of the GID1 knockout alleles with positive effects on plant architecture, yield, and nitrogen fixation in soybean, which provides a promising strategy toward sustainable agriculture.

Enzymatic browning is a primary factor affecting the quality of fresh-cut potatoes. Our previous research demonstrated that warming the tubers after cold storage can alleviate the enzymatic browning of fresh-cut potatoes. In this research, we explored if some new endogenous compounds play roles in browning inhibitory effects. Utilizing a non-targeted metabolomics approach on tubers subjected to pre-cutting different temperature treatments, thirteen differential metabolites in potatoes were revealed, and five compounds with anti-browning effects were screened out. Among these five compounds, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) exhibited the best inhibitory effect on browning and has not been reported in plants till now. The changes in CDCA content in tubers of pre-cutting different temperature treatments were further confirmed by LC-MS/MS. Subsequent experiments showed that the anti-browning effect of pre-cutting CDCA treatment was much better than postcutting. Pre-cutting CDCA treatment only at a low concentration of 5 mg L-1 for a 10 min soaking and then standing for 6 h extended the shelf life of fresh potato slices to 5 d from less than 1 d of control. Not a big difference in polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and tyrosine contents were caused by pre-cutting CDCA treatment compared with control. However, pre-cutting CDCA treatment caused a notable reduction in the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide anion (O2- ), H2O2, and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, and elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Meanwhile, CDCA suppressed phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and reduced the contents of both individual and total phenolic compounds. These results suggest that CDCA, an endogenous compound in potato tuber, can improve the anti-browning ability of fresh-cut potatoes mainly by inducing the enhancement of antioxidant capacity.

During harvesting, storage, transportation, and processing, potato ( Solanum tuberosum L . ) tubers undergo greening after exposure to light, leading to the accumulation of toxic glycoside alkaloids, resulting in quality deterioration and economic losses. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study compared the transcriptome and proteome differences among four potato cultivars during the light-induced greening process, identifying 3,751 unique proteins (high confidence; ≥91.7%). The levels of enzymes involved in steroidal glycoalkaloid biosynthesis varied among the cultivars. In addition, coexpression network analysis of the transcriptomic data identified the transcription factor MYB113 (Soltu.DM.10G020780.1) as a potential positive regulator of steroidal glycoalkaloid biosynthesis. The dual-luciferase assay revealed that StMYB113 could bind to the promoters of steroidal glycoalkaloid biosynthesis-related genes and activate them. The transgenic lines overexpressing Solanum tuberosum L. Myb domain protein ( StMYB113 ) exhibited greater mRNA abundance of these genes and elevated levels of steroidal glycoalkaloids. This study provided a theoretical basis for exploring the impact of light on the synthesis of solanine in potatoes.

This study investigates the Chinese market’s physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of 14 original-cut potato chip brands. Color characteristics, compositional analysis, sugar content, acrylamide levels, and textural properties were examined alongside sensory evaluations. Significant variations were observed across all the parameters. Color analysis revealed diverse L*, a*, and b* values, with total color difference (ΔE) strongly correlating with sensory scores (r = 0.73, p < 0.01). A compositional analysis showed substantial differences in protein (5.19–8.51%), fat (27.91–40.16%), and moisture (0.67–3.78%) contents. Acrylamide levels varied widely (166.7–1101.78 mg/kg), positively correlating with the sucrose content (r = 0.57, p < 0.05). A textural analysis demonstrated significant variations in hardness (379.38–1103.6 gf) and fracturability (167.5–857.77 gf), with fracturability negatively correlating with sensory scores (r = −0.75, p < 0.01). A sensory evaluation revealed distinct brand preferences, with the total scores ranging from 65 to 85. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between the physicochemical properties and consumer perception of potato chips in the Chinese market and offers potential directions for product optimization and quality control in the snack food industry, inspiring hope and innovation among industry professionals.

Climate change-induced heat stress (HS) increasingly threatens potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production by impacting tuberization and causing the premature sprouting of tubers grown during the hot season. However, the effects of post-harvest HS on tuber sprouting have yet to be explored. This study aims to investigate the effects of post-harvest HS on tuber sprouting and to explore the underlying transcriptomic changes in apical bud meristems. The results show that post-harvest HS facilitates potato tuber sprouting and negates apical dominance. A meticulous transcriptomic profiling of apical bud meristems unearthed a spectrum of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) activated in response to HS. During the heightened sprouting activity that occurred at 15–18 days of HS, the pathways associated with starch metabolism, photomorphogenesis, and circadian rhythm were predominantly suppressed, while those governing chromosome organization, steroid biosynthesis, and transcription factors were markedly enhanced. The critical DEGs encompassed the enzymes pivotal for starch metabolism, the genes central to gibberellin and brassinosteroid biosynthesis, and influential developmental transcription factors, such as SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE, ASYMMETRIC LEAVES 1, SHOOT MERISTEMLESS, and MONOPTEROS. These findings suggest that HS orchestrates tuber sprouting through nuanced alterations in gene expression within the meristematic tissues, specifically influencing chromatin organization, hormonal biosynthesis pathways, and the transcription factors presiding over meristem fate determination. The present study provides novel insights into the intricate molecular mechanisms whereby post-harvest HS influences tuber sprouting. The findings have important implications for developing strategies to mitigate HS-induced tuber sprouting in the context of climate change.

Transitory starch and vacuolar sugars function as highly dynamic pools of instantly accessible metabolites in plant leaf cells. Their metabolic regulation is critical for plant survival. The tonoplast sugar transporters (TSTs), responsible for sugar uptake into vacuoles, regulate cellular sugar partitioning and vacuolar sugar accumulation. However, whether TSTs are involved in leaf transient starch turnover and plant growth is unclear. Here, we found that suppressing StTST3.1 resulted in growth retardation and pale green leaves in potato plants. StTST3.1-silenced plants displayed abnormal chloroplasts and impaired photosynthetic performance. The subcellular localization assay and the oscillation expression patterns revealed that StTST3.1 encoded a tonoplast-localized protein and responded to photoperiod. Moreover, RNA-seq analyses identified that starch synthase (SS2 and SS6) and glucan water, dikinase (GWD), were downregulated in StTST3.1-silenced lines. Correspondingly, the capacity for starch synthesis and degradation was decreased in StTST3.1-silenced lines. Surprisingly, StTST3.1-silenced leaves accumulated exceptionally high levels of maltose but low levels of sucrose and hexose. Additionally, chlorophyll content was reduced in StTST3.1-silenced leaves. Analysis of chlorophyll metabolic pathways found that Non-Yellow Coloring 1 (NYC1)-like (NOL), encoding a chloroplast-localized key enzyme that catalyzes the initial step of chlorophyll b degradation, was upregulated in StTST3.1-silenced leaves. Transient overexpression of StNOL accelerated chlorophyll b degradation in tobacco leaves. Our results indicated that StTST3.1 is involved in transitory starch turnover and chlorophyll metabolism, thereby playing a critical role in normal potato plant growth.

Anthocyanin biosynthesis is affected by light, temperature, and other environmental factors. The regulation mode of light on anthocyanin synthesis in apple, pear, tomato and other species has been reported, while not clear in potato. In this study, potato RM-210 tubers whose peel will turn purple gradually after exposure to light were selected. Transcriptome analysis was performed on RM-210 tubers during anthocyanin accumulation. The expression of StMYBA1 gene continued to increase during the anthocyanin accumulation in RM-210 tubers. Moreover, co-expression cluster analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that the expression patterns of StMYBA1 gene were highly correlated with structural genes CHS and CHI . The promoter activity of StMYBA1 was significantly higher in light conditions, and StMYBA1 could activate the promoter activity of structural genes StCHS , StCHI , and StF3H . Further gene function analysis found that overexpression of StMYBA1 gene could promote anthocyanin accumulation and structural gene expression in potato leaves. These results demonstrated that StMYBA1 gene promoted potato anthocyanin biosynthesis by activating the expression of structural genes under light conditions. These findings provide a theoretical basis and genetic resources for the regulatory mechanism of potato anthocyanin synthesis.

Cold-induced sweetening (CIS), the undesirable sugar accumulation in cold-stored potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers, is a severe postharvest issue in the potato processing industry. Although the process of sucrose hydrolysis by vacuolar invertase during potato CIS is well understood, there is limited knowledge about the transportation of sucrose from the cytosol to the vacuole during postharvest cold storage. Here, we report that among the three potato tonoplast sugar transporters (TSTs), StTST1 exhibits the highest expression in tubers during postharvest cold storage. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrates that StTST1 is a tonoplast-localized protein. StTST1 knockdown decreases reducing sugar accumulation in tubers during low-temperature storage. Compared to wild-type, potato chips produced from StTST1-silenced tubers displayed significantly lower acrylamide levels and lighter color after cold storage. Transcriptome analysis manifests that suppression of StTST1 promotes starch synthesis and inhibits starch degradation in cold-stored tubers. We further establish that the increased sucrose content in the StTST1-silenced tubers might cause a decrease in the ABA content, thereby inhibiting the ABA-signaling pathway. We demonstrate that the down-regulation of β-amylase StBAM1 in StTST1-silenced tubers might be directly controlled by ABA-responsive element-binding proteins (AREBs). Altogether, we have shown that StTST1 plays a critical role in sugar accumulation and starch metabolism regulation during postharvest cold storage. Thus, our findings provide a new strategy to improve the frying quality of cold-stored tubers and reduce the acrylamide content in potato chips.

Cold is a major environmental factor that restrains potato production. Abscisic acid (ABA) can enhance freezing tolerance in many plant species, but powerful evidence of the ABA-mediated signalling pathway related to freezing tolerance is still in deficiency. In the present study, cold acclimation capacity of the potato genotypes was enhanced alongside with improved endogenous content of ABA. Further exogenous application of ABA and its inhibitor (NDGA) could enhance and reduce potato freezing tolerance, respectively. Moreover, expression pattern of downstream genes in ABA signalling pathway was analysed and only ScAREB4 was identified with specifically upregulate in S. commersonii (CMM5) after cold and ABA treatments. Transgenic assay with overexpression of ScAREB4 showed that ScAREB4 promoted freezing tolerance. Global transcriptome profiling indicated that overexpression of ScAREB4 induced expression of TPS9 (trehalose-6-phosphate synthase) and GSTU8 (glutathione transferase), in accordance with improved TPS activity, trehalose content, higher GST activity and accumulated dramatically less H2 O2 in the ScAREB4 overexpressed transgenic lines. Taken together, the current results indicate that increased endogenous content of ABA is related to freezing tolerance in potato. Moreover, ScAREB4 functions as a downstream transcription factor of ABA signalling to promote cold tolerance, which is associated with increased trehalose content and antioxidant capacity.