Tomato Fruit Development and Ripening Are Altered by the Silencing of LeEIN2 Gene

Loss-of-function ethylene insensitive 2 （EIN2） mutations showed ethylene insensitivity in Arabidopsis, which indicated an essential role of EIN2 in ethylene signaling. However, the function of EIN2 in fruit ripening has not been investigated. To gain a better understanding of EIN2, the temporal regulation of LeEIN2 expres- sion during tomato fruit development was analyzed. The expression of LeEIN2 was constant at different stages of fruit development, and was not regulated by ethylene. Moreover, LeEIN2-silenced tomato fruits were developed using a virus-induced gene silencing fruit system to study the role of LeEIN2 in tomato fruit ripening. Silenced fruits had a delay in fruit development and ripening, related to greatly descended expression of ethylene-related and ripening-related genes in comparison with those of control fruits. These results suggested LeEIN2 positively mediated ethylene signals during tomato development. In addition, there were fewer seeds and Iocules in the silenced fruit than those in the control fruit, like the phenotype of parthenocarpic tomato fruit. The content of auxin and the expression of auxin-regulated gene were declined in silenced fruit, which indicated that EIN2 might be important for crosstalk between ethylene and auxin hormones.     

Changes in Gene Expression during Tomato Fruit Ripening

Total proteins from pericarp tissue of different chronological ages from normally ripening tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Rutgers) fruits and from fruits of the isogenic ripening-impaired mutants rin, nor, and Nr were extracted and separated by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Analysis of the stained bands revealed increases in 5 polypeptides (94, 44, 34, 20, and 12 kilodaltons), decreases in 12 polypeptides (106, 98, 88, 76, 64, 52, 48, 45, 36, 28, 25, and 15 kilodaltons), and fluctuations in 5 polypeptides (85, 60, 26, 21, and 16 kilodaltons) as normal ripening proceeded. Several polypeptides present in ripening normal pericarp exhibited very low or undetectable levels in developing mutant pericarp. Total RNAs extracted from various stages of Rutgers pericarp and from 60 to 65 days old rin, nor, and Nr pericarp were fractionated into poly(A)⁺ and poly(A)⁻ RNAs. Peak levels of total RNA, poly(A)⁺ RNA, and poly(A)⁺ RNA as percent of total RNA occurred between the mature green to breaker stages of normal pericarp. In vitro translation of poly(A)⁺ RNAs from normal pericarp in rabbit reticulocyte lysates revealed increases in mRNAs for 9 polypeptides (116, 89, 70, 42, 38, 33, 31, 29, and 26 kilodaltons), decreases in mRNAs for 2 polypeptides (41 and 35 kilodaltons), and fluctuations in mRNAs for 5 polypeptides (156, 53, 39, 30, and 14 kilodaltons) during normal ripening. Analysis of two-dimensional separation of in vitro translated polypeptides from poly(A)⁺ RNAs isolated from different developmental stages revealed even more extensive changes in mRNA populations during ripening. In addition, a polygalacturonase precursor (54 kilodaltons) was immunoprecipitated from breaker, turning, red ripe, and 65 days old Nr in vitro translation products.     

利用TIGR番茄基因索引分析挖掘果实成熟相关基因

目前,互联网上提供许多关于基因及其相关信息的数据库,从这些资料库中提取的资料信息,可用于遗传,生化,分子生物学等各种形式的研究。TIGR Tomato Gene Index数据库中的信息为研究番茄果实成熟开辟了新思路。本研究通过对该数据库的分析,发现了一些在番茄果实成熟过程中差异表达的基因。并进一步通过基因芯片软件和文献挖掘的方法对这些基因进行了分析,结果发现了一些新的与果实成熟相关的基因。这对研究番茄果实成熟提供有价值的信息和思路。     

Reversible Inhibition of Tomato Fruit Gene Expression at High Temperature (Effects on Tomato Fruit Ripening)

The reversible inhibition of three ripening-related processes by high-temperature treatment (38[deg]C) was examined in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv Daniella) fruit. Ethylene production, color development, and softening were inhibited during heating and recovered afterward, whether recovery took place at 20[deg]C or fruit were first held at chilling temperature (2[deg]C) after heating and then placed at 20[deg]C. Ethylene production and color development proceeded normally in heated fruit after 14 d of chilling, whereas the unheated fruit had delayed ethylene production and uneven color development. Levels of mRNA for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase, phytoene synthase, and polygalacturonase decreased dramatically during the heat treatment but recovered afterward, whereas the mRNA for HSP17 increased during the high-temperature treatment and then decreased when fruit were removed from heat. As monitored by western blots, the HSP17 protein disappeared from fruit tissue after 3 d at 20[deg]C but remained when fruit were held at 2[deg]C. The persistence of heat-shock proteins at low temperature may be relevant to the protection against chilling injury provided by the heat treatment. Protein levels of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase and polygalacturonase also did not closely follow the changes in their respective mRNAs. This implied both differences in relative stability and turnover rates of mRNA compared to protein and nontranslation of the message that accumulated in low temperature. The results suggest that high temperature inhibits ripening by inhibiting the accumulation of ripening-related mRNAs. Ripening processes that depend on continuous protein synthesis including ethylene production, lycopene accumulation, and cell-wall dissolution are thereby diminished.     

An Antisense Gene Stimulates Ethylene Hormone Production during Tomato Fruit Ripening

The ripening of many fruits is controlled by an increase in ethylene hormone concentration. E8 is a fruit ripening protein that is related to the enzyme that catalyzes the last step in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic (ACC) oxidase. To determine the function of E8, we have transformed tomato plants with an E8 antisense gene. We show here that the antisense gene inhibits the accumulation of E8 protein during ripening. Whereas others have shown that reduction of ACC oxidase results in reduced levels of ethylene biosynthesis, we find that reduction of the related E8 protein produces the opposite effect, an increase in ethylene evolution specifically during the ripening of detached fruit. Thus, E8 has a negative effect on ethylene production in fruit.     

通过表达ACC脱氨酶基因控制番茄果实的成熟

乙烯在跃变型果实的成熟过程中起着触发呼吸跃变和促进果实成熟的作用。细菌来源的1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸(ACC)脱氨酶能降解乙烯的直接前体ACC,从而抑制植物体内乙烯的合成。我们用PCR方法从假单孢杆菌中克隆到ACC脱氨酶基因并通过农杆菌介导的方法将其转入番茄(Lycopersicun esculentum)中。再生植株经Southern blot检测证明,ACC脱氨酶基因已整合到番茄基因组中并稳定表达。转基因番茄果实成熟期的推迟时间与体内乙烯的抑制程度有相关性。转基因番茄植株乙烯的合成降低80%左右,果实在离体条件下可保鲜75d左右。研究ACC脱氢酶基因在植物体内的作用可阐明高等植物体内乙烯的作用机理并为培育耐贮藏果蔬品种打下基础。     

PG与番茄果实成熟的关系

系统比较了转多聚半乳糖醛酸酶（PG）反义基因和对照番茄果实成熟过程中绿熟、转色、粉顶、粉红、全红5个时期的PG活性和与其相关的生理、生化组分的动态变化。实验表明,转基因果与对照果相比,PG活性始终处于较低水平,PG活性强烈被抑制是在全红期;果实的硬度、贮藏寿命指数都高于对照果;番茄红素合成积累进程被延缓;可溶性果胶含量、电解质外渗百分率均低于对照果。外源乙烯刺激引起对照果PG活性剧增,而转基因果表现钝化。讨论了PG活性与果实成熟、耐贮性及软化的关系,及对外源乙烯刺激的敏感性。首次明确提出PG活性在对照果中极大地表达,在转基因果中强烈被抑制是在全红期 ,而不是在整个成熟期;PG活性在果实软化中起直接和重要作用;PG活性的高低与番茄红素的合成与积累有关。     

PG与番茄果实成熟的关系

系统比较了转多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(PG)反义基因和对照番茄果实成熟过程中绿熟、转色、粉顶、粉红、全红5个时期的PG活性和与其相关的生理、生化组分的动态变化.实验表明,转基因果与对照果相比,PG活性始终处于较低水平,PG活性强烈被抑制是在全红期;果实的硬度、贮藏寿命指数都高于对照果;番茄红素合成积累进程被延缓;可溶性果胶含量、电解质外渗百分率均低于对照果.外源乙烯刺激引起对照果PG活性剧增,而转基因果表现钝化.讨论了PG活性与果实成熟、耐贮性及软化的关系,及对外源乙烯刺激的敏感性.首次明确提出PG活性在对照果中极大地表达,在转基因果中强烈被抑制是在全红期,而不是在整个成熟期;PG活性在果实软化中起直接和重要作用;PG活性的高低与番茄红素的合成与积累有关.     

Banana Ovate Family Protein MaOFP1 and MADS-Box Protein MuMADS1 Antagonistically Regulated Banana Fruit Ripening

The ovate family protein named MaOFP1 was identified in banana (Musa acuminata L.AAA) fruit by a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) method using the banana MADS-box gene MuMADS1 as bait and a 2 day postharvest (DPH) banana fruit cDNA library as prey. The interaction between MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 was further confirmed by Y2H and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) methods, which showed that the MuMADS1 K domain interacted with MaOFP1. Real-time quantitative PCR evaluation of MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 expression patterns in banana showed that they are highly expressed in 0 DPH fruit, but present in low levels in the stem, which suggests that simultaneous but different expression patterns exist for both MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 in different tissues and developing fruits. Meanwhile, MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 expression was highly stimulated and greatly suppressed, respectively, by exogenous ethylene. In contrast, MaOFP1 expression was highly stimulated while MuMADS1 was greatly suppressed by the ethylene competitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). These results indicate that MuMADS1 and MaOFP1 are antagonistically regulated by ethylene and might play important roles in postharvest banana fruit ripening.     

The Ripening of Tomato Fruit as Affected by the Injection of Certain Chemicals

Some chemical agents known to uncouple oxidation from phosphorylationin biological systems were injected into mature green tomatofruit. Limited amounts of the substances accelerated the ripeningof fruit left on the plants but had no effect on picked fruit.L-Methionine, regarded as having a coupling action on oxidativephosphorylation, appeared to lengthen the ripening period. Aswell as speeding up ripening, DNP and CPA were also shown toincrease the activity of polygalacturonase, but not pectinesterase,in unpicked tomato fruit. It is concluded that even when subjectto the action of uncoupling substances, production of enzymesprobably necessary for the furtherance of the ripening processcontinues. The methods by which this process in tomato fruitcould be maintained are examined, and the possibility is discussedthat ‘loose’ coupling is the mechanism by whichan energy source is provided for the endergonic cell processestaking place during ripening.     

Relationship between Chlorophylls and Carotenoids of Ripening Tomato Fruit as Influenced by Potassium Nutrition

Studies of fruit pigmentation at various stages of ripeningshowed that the chlorophylls generally decreased as the totalcarotenoids increase during ripening. At any stage of ripening,the carotenoid content of K-deficient fruit was lower than thatof normal fruit. The relationship between the two pigment systemswas altered by the K. status of the fruit. When the rate ofcarotenogenesis was low (green and red stages), the chlorophyllswere higher in high K-fruit than in K-deficient fruit. Whenthe rate of carotenoid synthesis was rapid (breaker to lightred stages), the chlorophyll level of K-deficient fruit washigher than that of normal fruit.     

Polygalacturonase Activity in Ripening Tomato Fruit Determined using Pericarp Discs

Discs prepared from the outer pericarp of tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum Mill. cv. Sunny) and placed in buffer exhibit anenzymic release of pectin fragments. Over a 2.5 h period at34 °C, discs from mature-green, 4 d and 10 d postbreakerfruit released approximately 90, 440 and 675 µg galacturonicacid equivalents (g^–1 disc fr. wt.), respectively. Bio-GelP-2 chromatography of the products revealed the presence ofpolymeric, oligomeric and monomeric uronic acids. The similarityof these products to those released from isolated, enzymatically-activecell walls and from enzymatically-inactive walls treated withpurified PG 2 provides evidence for the participation of polygalacturonase(PG, E. C. 3.2.1.15 [EC] ) in the release of pectin from disc tissue. The magnitude of pectin release from external pericarp discswas found to parallel ripening and increase progressively indiscs from the blossom, equatorial and shoulder regions, respectively.The use of discs and other systems to estimate in vivo PG activitywill be discussed. Key words: Cell wall, polyuronides     

番茄果实成熟突变体的研究进展

番茄是一类比较重要的经济作物,具有很高的营养价值,长期以来番茄一直是研究肉质果实生长和成熟的模式生物。近年来,许多番茄果实成熟突变体的发现为研究果实成熟机制提供了重要的生物材料,综述了番茄果实成熟的影响因素、番茄果实成熟相关的突变体及基于突变体对果实成熟的相关研究,为今后突变体及果实成熟机制的研究提供参考。     

Deciphering Ascorbic Acid Regulatory Pathways in Ripening Tomato Fruit Using a Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis Approach

Genotype is generally determined by the co-expression of diverse genes and multiple regulatory pathways in plants. Gene co-expression analysis combining with physiological trait data provides very important information about the gene function and regulatory mechanism. L-Ascorbic acid （AsA）, which is an essential nutrient component for human health and plant metabolism, plays key roles in diverse biological processes such as cell cycle, cell expansion, stress resistance, hormone synthesis, and signaling. Here, we applied a weighted gene correlation network analysis approach based on gene expression values and AsA content data in ripening tomato （Solanum lycopersicum L.） fruit with different AsA content levels, which leads to identification of AsA relevant modules and vital genes in AsA regulatory pathways. Twenty- four modules were compartmentalized according to gene expression profiling. Among these modules, one negatively related module containing genes involved in redox processes and one positively related module enriched with genes involved in AsA biosynthetic and recycling pathways were further analyzed. The present work herein indicates that redox pathways as well as hormone-signal pathways are closely correlated with AsA accumulation in ripening tomato fruit, and allowed us to prioritize candidate genes for follow-up studies to dissect this interplay at the biochemical and molecular level.     

Carboxypeptidase Activity of Tomato Fruit during the Ripening Process and Some Enzymatic Properties

Carboxypeptidase activity of tomato fruit reached a maximum at an early period of ripening. During storage of the fruit at 25°C, the enzyme activity decreased, accompanied by a fall of the pH value of the sap.

The enzyme was apparently localized in the soluble fraction, as determined by differential centrifugation.

The enzyme was optimally active at pH 5.0 ~ 5.5, was most stable at pH 4.5 ~ 6.5, and was strongly inhibited by DFP and HgCl₂, but not by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroIine. Z-dipeptides containing arginine, proline and several neutral amino acids were hydrolyzed by the enzyme.

The similarity of the enzymatic properties of the present enzyme to those of other plant carboxypeptidases and pig kidney cathepsin A is also discussed.