MdBT1 and MdBT2 interact with the MdbHLH104 protein. A, MdbHLH104 interacted with MdBT1 and MdBT2 in Y2H assays. B and C, The TAZ domain of MdBT2 (B) and the C terminus of MdbHLH104 (C) are responsible for their interaction. Left, Diagram of full-length and truncated MdBT2 (B) and MdbHLH104 (C) constructs with specific deletions. Right, Interactions were indicated by the ability of yeast cells to grow on SDII and SDIV media. D, Pull-down assays with E. coli-expressed His-MdbHLH104 proteins resulted in the precipitation of GST-MdBT1 and GST-MdBT2; His alone was used as the control. Blots were first probed with the anti-His antibody and then stripped and probed with the anti-GST antibody. E, Co-IP assays of MdBT1 (or MdBT2) and MdbHLH104 in the 35S::MdbHLH104-MYC+35S::MdBT2-GFP transgenic apple calli. The MdBT-GFP proteins were immunoprecipitated with an anti-MYC antibody and immunoblotted with an anti-GFP antibody.