Fruit developmental regulation of the kiwifruit actinidin promoter is conserved in transgenic petunia plants

We have examined the expression of actinidin, a cysteine protease found in kiwifruit, over the course of fruit development. Protease activity was first seen in fruit that had reached about half their final weight, and rose to high levels at harvest. The 5-flanking region (nucleotides –1301 to +58) of a kiwifruit actinidin gene was fused to the -glucuronidase (GUS)-coding region, and the chimaeric gene was introduced into transgenic petunia plants. Induction of the GUS gene was observed during the later stages of seed pod development, closely resembling the pattern of actinidin induction in fruit tissues of kiwifruit. Some GUS expression was also detected in the vascular system of the receptacle, leaves, stems and roots. A shorter promoter fragment consisting of nucleotides –115 to +58 conferred similar spatial and temporal regulation in some of the transgenic plants.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A FLOWER GALL MIDGE PSEUDAS-PHONDYLIA SP. (DIPTERA: CECIDOMYIIDAE) AND ITS HOST PLANT ACTINIDIA VALVATA*

Abstract Kiwifruit plants, Actinidia sp., are native to subtropical China. The flower-bud gall of A. valvata, which is induced by an undescribed gall midge in the genus Pseud as phond ylia, is valued by the pharmaceutical industry. When studying the biology of the Actinid ia/Pseud as phond ylia interaction in Central-south China we found evidence suggesting that under certain circumstances the gall insect modifies the reproductive mode of the dioecious host plant. Surveys and field experiments in the National Hupingshan Natural Reserve showed a high frequency of galled trees. The density of galled trees varied among valleys and among trees within the valleys. In two valleys, 92% and 75%, respectively, of all trees were attacked, while in a third valley no trees were attacked. When infested, staminate tree only produced galls, whereas pistillate plants produced normal fruits as well as galls. Gall shape differed between male and female trees. Trees with galls tended to produce more fruits than treea without galls. We speculate that this is one of a few documented examples of an insect that induces androdioecy in an otherwise functionally dioecious plant.     

Kiwifruit micropropagation through callus shoot-bud induction

Summary A profitable system for the establishment of morphogenic callus cultures and indirect shoot induction and development was accomplished from nodal shoot segments obtained from adult and micropropagated plants of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa [Chev.] Liang and Ferguson, var.deliciosa) cv. “Hayward”. The effects of medium composition, cytokinin levels, dilution of salts, and type of callus derived from the cultured primary explants were studied. Medium composition as well as type of callus greatly affected organogenic responses.     

Carbon starvation reduces carbohydrate and anthocyanin accumulation in red-fleshed fruit via trehalose 6-phosphate and MYB27

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) is a recently domesticated fruit crop with several novel-coloured cultivars being developed. Achieving uniform fruit flesh pigmentation in red genotypes is challenging. To investigate the cause of colour variation between fruits, we focused on a red-fleshed Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis genotype. It was hypothesized that carbohydrate supply could be responsible for this variation. Early in fruit development, we imposed high or low (carbon starvation) carbohydrate supplies treatments; carbohydrate import or redistribution was controlled by applying a girdle at the shoot base. Carbon starvation affected fruit development as well as anthocyanin and carbohydrate metabolite concentrations, including the signalling molecule trehalose 6-phosphate. RNA-Seq analysis showed down-regulation of both gene-encoding enzymes in the anthocyanin and carbohydrate biosynthetic pathways. The catalytic trehalose 6-phosphate synthase gene TPS1.1a was down-regulated, whereas putative regulatory TPS7 and TPS11 were strongly up-regulated. Unexpectedly, under carbon starvation MYB10, the anthocyanin pathway regulatory activator was slightly up-regulated, whereas MYB27 was also up-regulated and acts as a repressor. To link these two metabolic pathways, we propose a model where trehalose 6-phosphate and the active repressor MYB27 are involved in sensing the carbon starvation status. This signals the plant to save resources and reduce the production of anthocyanin in fruits.     

猕猴桃果实采后成熟过程中糖代谢及其调节

20℃下采后猕猴桃果实中淀粉酶活性快速上升于果实软化启动阶段,随着果实进入快速软化阶段,淀粉迅速水解,葡萄糖和果糖快速积累,SPS活性增加,酸性转化酶活性下降,蔗糖积累;至果实软化后期,SPS活性降低,蔗糖含量下降.AsA和低温可抑制淀粉酶活性、己糖积累、SPS活性上升和酸性转化酶活性下降,延缓蔗糖积累,相反,乙烯则可促进淀粉酶活性,加速淀粉降解和己糖积累进而直接或间接增加SPS活性,促使蔗糖积累.采后猕猴桃果实的SPS活性变化中有己糖激活效应和蔗糖反馈抑制效应.AsA、低温和乙烯等对糖代谢的调节主要是通过对SPS活性的影响而实现的.     

猕猴桃间座壳菌Diaporthe actinidiae的绿色荧光蛋白基因标记及侵染过程

果实软腐病是猕猴桃贮藏期间最严重的真菌病害,猕猴桃间座壳Diaporthe actinidiae是该病检出率最高且致病力最强的病原菌.该病菌从花前期开始侵染,至果实贮藏期才表现症状,侵染至发病周期较长,可借助荧光标记对其侵染过程进行研究.本研究采用PEG介导原生质体转化的技术,运用携带GFP及潮霉素抗性基因的双元载体p...     

不同产地‘金圆’猕猴桃低温贮藏下的生理指标及贮藏性变化

以中华猕猴桃(Actinidia chinensis Planch.)黄肉新品种‘金圆’果实为材料,通过低温贮藏实验(1℃±0.5℃,相对湿度90%~95%),系统研究武汉和六盘水所产‘金圆’果实的生理指标及贮藏性。结果显示,两地‘金圆’果实硬度和色彩角(h值)随贮藏时间延长而逐渐下降,硬度在前20 d下降幅度大。果实可溶性固形物(SSC)含量和干物质在贮藏期间变化规律基本一致,六盘水产果实的SSC和干物质含量高于武汉。武汉产果实VC、可溶性总糖、可滴定酸含量仅在80 d时高于六盘水,其他时间均低于六盘水。两地果实的固酸比和糖酸比变化一致,六盘水产果实固酸比(SSC/TA)和糖酸比(SS/TA)在80 d时均达到峰值,而武汉产果实只有糖酸比达到峰值。随贮藏时间延长,两地果实的失重率均缓慢上升,160 d时武汉和六盘水果实的失重率分别为2.82%和2.55%;在贮藏前60 d两地果实腐烂率较低,之后上升较快,160 d时六盘水产果实腐烂率是武汉的1.77倍。本研究结果表明六盘水产‘金圆’果实的风味品质优于武汉,而武汉产果实贮藏性更好些。