Summary Soil salinization is a major factor limiting the sustainable development of the grape industry. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are more stable than linear mRNAs and are involved in stress responses. However, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms underlying antisense circRNAs in plants remain unclear. We identified the antisense circRNA VvcircABH through high‐throughput sequencing. Using genetic transformation methods and molecular biological techniques, we analyzed the effects of VvcircABH on the response to salt stress and the mechanisms underlying its effects. VvcircABH was located in the nucleus and upregulated by salt stress, while the expression level of its cognate gene VvABH (alpha/beta‐hydrolase) was downregulated. VvcircABH overexpression or VvABH silencing greatly enhanced grape salt tolerance. VvcircABH could bind to the overlapping region and inhibits VvABH pre‐mRNA splicing, thereby decreasing the expression level of VvABH. Additionally, VvcircABH repressed the additive effect of VvABH on the interaction between VvBRI1 (brassinosteroid‐insensitive 1) and VvBKI1 (BRI1 kinase inhibitor 1), thus influencing the plant's response to BR, which plays important roles in plant salt tolerance. We conclude that VvcircABH and VvABH play distinct roles in the salt tolerance and brassinosteroid signaling response, and VvcircABH could govern the expression of VvABH by inhibiting its splicing.

中文翻译：

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反义 CircRNAVvcircABH 通过抑制葡萄中的同源 mRNA 剪接来控制盐耐受性和油菜素类固醇信号反应


总结土壤盐碱化是限制葡萄产业可持续发展的主要因素。环状 RNA （circRNA） 比线性 mRNA 更稳定，并且参与应激反应。然而，植物中反义 circRNA 的生物学功能和分子机制仍不清楚。我们通过高通量测序鉴定了反义 circRNA VvcircABH。利用遗传转化方法和分子生物学技术，我们分析了 VvcircABH 对盐胁迫反应的影响及其影响机制。VvcircABH 位于细胞核中，受盐胁迫上调，而其同源基因 VvABH （alpha/β-水解酶） 的表达水平下调。VvcircABH 过表达或 VvABH 沉默大大增强了葡萄盐耐受性。VvcircABH 可与重叠区域结合并抑制 VvABH pre-mRNA 剪接，从而降低 VvABH 的表达水平。此外，VvcircABH 抑制了 VvABH 对 VvBRI1 （油菜素类固醇不敏感 1） 和 VvBKI1 （BRI1 激酶抑制剂 1） 之间相互作用的加性作用，从而影响植物对 BR 的反应，BR 在植物耐盐性中起重要作用。我们得出结论，VvcircABH 和 VvABH 在耐盐和油菜素类固醇信号反应中起不同的作用，VvcircABH 可以通过抑制其剪接来控制 VvABH 的表达。