The C2H2 zinc-finger protein CaZAT11 positively regulates cold tolerance in pepper and physically interacts with CaSTOP1.

CaZAT11 positively regulates cold tolerance in pepper and interacts with CaSTOP1 in the nucleus.

• Why it matters: Understanding molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in pepper is crucial for improving crop resilience under low-temperature stress, which limits productivity.
• What they did: The study identified CaZAT11 as a nuclear-localized C2H2 zinc-finger protein induced by cold stress, and demonstrated that its silencing increases cold sensitivity while its overexpression enhances cold tolerance in pepper, Arabidopsis, and tomato.
• The result: Overexpression of CaZAT11 reduces electrolyte leakage and reactive oxygen species, increases antioxidant enzyme activity, and elevates cold-responsive gene expression, suggesting CaZAT11 as a positive regulator of cold tolerance.