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.     

The origin and structures of dimeric fatty acids from the anaerobic reaction between soya-bean lipoxygenase, linoleic acid and its hydroperoxide

In an anaerobic system soya-bean lipoxygenase catalyses in the presence of linoleic acid and l-13-hydroperoxyoctadeca-cis-9-trans-11-dienoic acid the formation of dimeric fatty acids and of carbonyl compounds. The analogous reaction does not take place when d-9-hydroperoxyoctadeca-trans-10-cis-12-dienoic acid is used instead of the 13-hydroperoxy isomer. Non-oxygenated dimers stem directly from linoleic acid and have C((11))-C((13')) or -C((9')) and C((13))-C((13')) or -C((9')) linkages. Dimers that contain oxygen originate from linoleic acid and linoleic acid hydroperoxide. It is most likely that the oxygen is present in epoxy groups.     

Effect of Hydrogen Cyanamide on Amino Acid Profiles in Kiwifruit Buds during Budbreak

Buds, and resultant shoots, were collected from kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa [A. Chev.] CF Liang et AR Ferguson var deliciosa cv Hayward) vines from late autumn until late spring with and without hydrogen cyanamide treatment. Those samples were weighed and analyzed for total nitrogen and free amino acids. By 7 days after hydrogen cyanamide treatment, the amount of proline had risen to nearly one-quarter of the total amino acid pool in the treated buds and that proportion was maintained for at least 14 days before it declined. The maximum concentration detected in treated buds was 25.8 micromoles per gram dry weight, 6.6 times that detected in untreated buds. By 95 days after treatment, the relative amounts of proline were not significantly different.