Upsurge of particulate peroxidase in ripening banana fruit

Peroxidase was isolated from the pulp of ripening banana fruit and assayed with o-dianisidine as hydrogen-donor. Cell macerates contained soluble and particle-bound peroxidase. Soluble peroxidase levels did not appreciably differ in pre-climacteric, climacteric and post-climacteric fruit. Particulate peroxidase levels increased 3-fold with the initiation of the respiration climacteric and gradually declined with the onset of senescence. Bound peroxidase was released from cell wall and membrane fractions with washing in 0–8 M CaCl₂.     

Biochemical aspects of the developing and ripening banana

The peel and pulp of the banana fruit and the pseudostem were examined for glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and aldolase activities and protein, phenolics, chlorophyll and starch. The peel-pulp ratio at various stages of fruit development on the plant and in detached fruits showing incipient ripening were used as an index of the physiological age of the fruit. The enzymes exhibited maximum activity at a stage corresponding to the initiation of the climacteric. GPT level at this stage was higher than that of GOT. An initial increase in the protein content was followed by a decline in both peel and pulp, the level reaching a minimum in climacteric fruits. Astringency, measured in terms of total phenolics, decreased with development; in mature fruits, peel contained 4–5 × as much phenolics as pulp. Chlorophyll in mature fruits was 10 × higher than in young fruits and decreased in ripe fruits. The onset of ripening was attended with a pronounced decrease in the starch. The various analyses were carried out also on the pseudostem removed from the plant soon after flower formation.     

“信叶”植物营养液对香蕉产量与果实品质的影响

本试验根据香蕉春、秋季种植的物候期,采用2次土施250倍“信叶”根部营养液和4次喷施350倍花果营养液以及土施结合花果载施营养液等不同处理进行对比。两年试验结果表明,经营养液处理的香蕉,均能不同程度地提高产量和改善果实品质。其中尤以根部营养液结合花果营养液处理效果最好。     

Fruit softening in banana: correlation among stress-relaxation parameters, cell wall components and starch during ripening

Bananas, Musa (AAA group, Cavendish subgroup) 'Giant Cavendish', were ripened in a biotron at 25°C with ethylene during 4 days. Changes in mechanical properties of pulp were detected by a stress-relaxation technique. The decrease in T₀, the parameter for minimum stress-relaxation time, began between day 0.5 and 1, while the decrease in initial stress began between day 0 and 0.5, suggesting that the decrease in elasticity and viscosity of pulp is a crucial physical event of pulp softening. Cellulose and moisture contents were about 3 and 780 mg (g fresh weight)⁻¹, respectively, which were unchanged during ripening. The decrease in starch content of cell materials and in uronic acid content of the pectic polysaccharides of the cell walls began between day 0.5 and 1. As regards the sugar composition of the hemicellulose fraction, decreases in arabinose, mannose and galactose contents began between day 0 and 0.5. The results show that the partial decrease in hemicelluloses preceded the breakdown of starch and suggest that the coordinated degradation of pectic and hemicellulosic polysaccharides and starch is the main cause for the pulp softening process.     

A simple procedure for the isolation of high quality RNA from ripening banana fruit

Isolation of high quality RNA from ripening banana fruit tissue is difficult due to high levels of polysaccharides and other substances that interfere when using conventional procedures for RNA isolation. These substances not only decrease the yield but the quality of RNA is almost unusable. We describe here a simple RNA procedure that effectively removes these contaminating substances without affecting the yield. Following this procedure, we routinely obtained 80–150 μg of total RNA per g fresh tissue. The RNA is of good quality and suitable for northern analysis, RT-PCR and cDNA library construction. NBRI publication No. 488(NS).     

果实成熟乙烯相关基因工程研究进展(综述)

果实成熟是一个复杂的生理生化过程,而乙烯是引发果实成熟的主要因素.本文简述乙烯合成过程中S-腺苷甲硫氨酸水解酶、ACC合成酶与ACC氧化酶、ACC脱氨酶基因和乙烯受体突变体的特性及克隆;同时,评述利用基因工程技术控制果实成熟的应用前景.     

施硒对三个香蕉品种植株生长、生理及果实品质的影响

该文以‘南天黄'' ‘中蕉9号'' ‘红香蕉''三个香蕉品种为材料,研究土壤淋施硒酸钠溶液对香蕉植株生长、果实产量和品质,以及叶片MDA、脯氨酸、硒含量的影响。结果表明:(1)每株0.25、0.50 g施硒处理能显著促进三个香蕉品种株高的增长,对‘南天黄'' ‘红香蕉''基茎围的增长促进作用显著,对‘中蕉9号''基茎围促进作用不显著。(2)施硒对植株营养生长过程中叶片MDA含量的影响较小,仅在部分时间段MDA含量显著升高或降低; 每株0.25、0.50 g的硒酸钠处理能显著降低三个香蕉品种叶片中脯氨酸含量。施硒对香蕉叶片中硒含量具有显著影响,施硒浓度越高,叶片中硒含量也越高。(3)施硒能显著提高各香蕉品种单株产量,对‘中蕉9号'' ‘红香蕉''单果重促进作用显著,对‘南天黄''单果重促进作用不显著; 每株0.25 g施硒处理,‘中蕉9号''的单株产量为24.38 kg、单果重为165.86 g,分别比对照高出了12.80%、14.69%。(4)土施适宜浓度的硒酸钠能提高香蕉果实中维生素C、钾含量,‘南天黄'' ‘中蕉9号'' ‘红香蕉''三个香蕉品种施硒后维生素C含量最高可达12.7、13.9、10.6 mg·100g^-1,比对照分别提高了12.72%、18.84%、29.39%; 钾含量最高可达349、279、397 mg·100g^-1,比对照分别提高29.62%、33.28%、47.77%。(5)硒处理浓度越高,果实中硒含量也越高; 对照处理的香蕉果实硒含量未达到富硒标准,每株经0.25、0.50 g硒酸钠处理后三个香蕉品种的果实硒含量均达到富硒标准。综上认为,土壤淋施硒酸钠溶液能提高香蕉果实中的硒含量,促进香蕉植株生长、提升果实品质,且对降低叶片中MDA和脯氨酸含量具有一定影响,但对不同香蕉品种的影响效果存在差异,该研究结果为富硒香蕉的生产栽培提供了理论依据。     

Control and manipulation of gene expression during tomato fruit ripening

Ripening is a complex developmental process involving changes in the biochemistry, physiology and gene expression of the fruit. It is an active process characterised by changes in all cellular compartments. cDNA cloning has been used as an approach to analyse changes in gene expression during fruit ripening. This has revealed that several genes are switched on specifically during fruit ripening, including one encoding polygalacturonase (PG), a major cell wall protein. These cDNA clones have been used to study the expression of the genes in normal and ripening mutant fruits, and under environmental stress conditions.The PG gene has been isolated and it has been demonstrated that 1450 bases 5 of the coding region are sufficient for the tissue- and development-specific expression of a bacterial marker gene in transgenic tomatoes. Antisense RNA techniques have been developed to generate novel mutant tomatoes in which the biochemical function of this enzyme and its involvement in fruit softening has been tested.     

A novel isoform of glucan, water dikinase phosphorylates pre-phosphorylated alpha-glucans and is involved in starch degradation in Arabidopsis

An Arabidopsis thaliana gene encoding a homologue of the potato alpha-glucan, water dikinase GWD, previously known as R1, was identified by screening the Arabidopsis genome and named AtGWD3. The AtGWD3 cDNA was isolated, heterologously expressed and the protein was purified to apparent homogeneity to determine the enzymatic function. In contrast to the potato GWD protein, the AtGWD3 primarily catalysed phosphorylation at the C-3 position of the glucose unit of preferably pre-phosphorylated amylopectin substrate with long side chains. An Arabidopsis mutant, termed Atgwd3, with downregulated expression of the AtGWD3 gene was analysed. In Atgwd3 the amount of leaf starch was constantly higher than wild type during the diurnal cycle. Compared with wild-type leaf starch, the level of C-3 phosphorylation of the glucosyl moiety of starch in this mutant was reduced. Taken together, these data indicate that the C-3 linked phospho-ester in starch plays a so far unnoticed specific role in the degradation of transitory starch.     

Differential expression of expansin gene family members during growth and ripening of tomato fruit

cDNA clones encoding homologues of expansins, a class of cell wall proteins involved in cell wall modification, were isolated from various stages of growing and ripening fruit of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). cDNAs derived from five unique expansin genes were obtained, termed tomato Exp3 to Exp7, in addition to the previously described ripening-specific tomato Exp1 (Rose et al. (1997) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 5955–5960). Deduced amino acid sequences of tomato Exp1, Exp4 and Exp6 were highly related, whereas Exp3, Exp5 and Exp7 were more divergent. Each of the five expansin genes showed a different and characteristic pattern of mRNA expression. mRNA of Exp3 was present throughout fruit growth and ripening, with highest accumulation in green expanding and maturing fruit, and lower, declining levels during ripening. Exp4 mRNA was present only in green expanding fruit, whereas Exp5 mRNA was present in expanding fruit but had highest levels in full-size maturing green fruit and declined during the early stages of ripening. mRNAs from each of these genes were also detected in leaves, stems and flowers but not in roots. Exp6 and Exp7 mRNAs were present at much lower levels than mRNAs of the other expansin genes, and were detected only in expanding or mature green fruit. The results indicate the presence of a large and complex expansin gene family in tomato, and suggest that while the expression of several expansin genes may contribute to green fruit development, only Exp1 mRNA is present at high levels during fruit ripening.     

锌离子响应转录激活因子ZafA对球孢白僵菌锌离子利用及生防潜能的影响

球孢白僵菌作为丝孢类昆虫病原真菌,已广泛应用于农林害虫的生物防治,但是田间多变的环境影响了真菌制剂的效能。此外,真菌侵染宿主后,宿主体内的环境也影响真菌的增殖和侵染速度。为研究球孢白僵菌对环境中酸碱度及微量元素的平衡能力,本研究初步探讨了锌离子响应转录激活因子ZafA与真菌生长繁殖、抗逆能力、毒力以及锌离子利用的关系。结果表明,敲除zafA削弱了真菌生长繁殖和孢子萌发的能力,增加了菌株对氧化、高渗、孢壁干扰剂以及紫外胁迫的敏感性,杀虫毒力显著下降,并抑制了相关性状基因的表达水平。基因敲除菌株无法在锌离子缺失的条件下生长,且zafA基因和锌离子转运蛋白编码基因zrf1–8的表达水平会受到酸碱度以及锌离子浓度的影响。由此可见,ZafA不仅直接影响球孢白僵菌利用锌离子的能力,还与球孢白僵菌抗逆能力和毒力密切相关,本研究为提高生防真菌环境适应性和发挥毒力提供新的依据。     

In vivo and in vitro swelling of cell walls during fruit ripening

Swelling properties of the cell walls of nine temperate fruit species, selected for their different ripening and textural characteristics, were studied during ripening. Cell wall swelling was examined in intact fruit using microscopy techniques and in vitro, using cell wall material isolated from fruit tissue. In fruit which ripened to a soft melting texture (persimmon, avocado, blackberry, strawberry, plum), wall swelling was pronounced, particularly in vitro. In-vivo swelling was marked only in avocado and blackberry. Fruit which ripened to a crisp, fracturable texture [apple (two cultivars), nashi pear, watermelon] did not show either in-vivo or in-vitro swelling of the cell wall. There was a correlation between swelling and the degree of pectin solubilisation, suggesting that wall swelling occurred as a result of changes to the viscoelastic properties of the cell wall during pectin solubilisation. Chemical and enzymatic removal of pectin from kiwifruit cell wall material supported the idea that swelling is associated with movement of water into voids left in the cellulose-hemicellulose network by the solubilised pectin. However, the results also suggested that swelling in vivo was more complex than this, and that the physicochemical changes which led to swelling included other elements of cell wall modification involving the site and mechanism of pectin solubilisation and-or the cellulose-xyloglucan complex. Received: 28 January 1997 / accepted: 11 March 1997     

A novel tomato F‐box protein,SlEBF3, is involved in tuning ethylene signaling during plant development and climacteric fruit ripening

Ethylene is instrumental to climacteric fruit ripening and EIN3 BINDING F‐BOX (EBF) proteins have been assigned a central role in mediating ethylene responses by regulating EIN3/EIL degradation in Arabidopsis. However, the role and mode of action of tomato EBFs in ethylene‐dependent processes like fruit ripening remains unclear. Two novel EBF genes, SlEBF3 and SlEBF4, were identified in the tomato genome, and SlEBF3 displayed a ripening‐associated expression pattern suggesting its potential involvement in controlling ethylene response during fruit ripening. SlEBF3 downregulated tomato lines failed to show obvious ripening‐related phenotypes likely due to functional redundancy among SlEBF family members. By contrast, SlEBF3 overexpression lines exhibited pleiotropic ethylene‐related alterations, including inhibition of fruit ripening, attenuated triple‐response and delayed petal abscission. Yeast‐two‐hybrid system and bimolecular fluorescence complementation approaches indicated that SlEBF3 interacts with all known tomato SlEIL proteins and, consistently, total SlEIL protein levels were decreased in SlEBF3 overexpression fruits, supporting the idea that the reduced ethylene sensitivity and defects in fruit ripening are due to the SlEBF3‐mediated degradation of EIL proteins. Moreover, SlEBF3 expression is regulated by EIL1 via a feedback loop, which supposes its role in tuning ethylene signaling and responses. Overall, the study reveals the role of a novel EBF tomato gene in climacteric ripening, thus providing a new target for modulating fleshy fruit ripening.     

Influence of kepok banana bunch as new cellulose source on thermal,mechanical, and biodegradability properties of Thai cassava starch/polyvinyl alcohol hybrid-based bioplastic

Bioplastics were developed to overcome environmental problems that are difficult to decompose in the environment. This study analyzes Thai cassava starch-based bioplastics' tensile strength, biodegradability, moisture absorption, and thermal stability. This study used Thai cassava starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as matrices, whereas Kepok banana bunch cellulose was employed as a filler. The ratios between starch and cellulose are 10:0 (S1), 9:1 (S2), 8:2 (S3), 7:3 (S4), and 6:4 (S5), while PVA was set constant. The tensile test showed the S4 sample's highest tensile strength of 6.26 MPa, a strain of 3.85%, and a modulus of elasticity of 166 MPa. After 15 days, the maximum soil degradation rate in the S1 sample was 27.9%. The lowest moisture absorption was found in the S5 sample at 8.43%. The highest thermal stability was observed in S4 (316.8°C). This result was significant in reducing the production of plastic waste for environmental remediation.     

Hydraulic connections of leaves and fruit to the parent plant in Capsicum frutescens (hot pepper) during fruit ripening

Background and Aims

The hydraulic architecture and water relations of fruits and leaves of Capsicum frutescens were measured before and during the fruiting phase in order to estimate the eventual impact of xylem cavitation and embolism on the hydraulic isolation of fruits and leaves before maturation/abscission.

Methods

Measurements were performed at three different growth stages: (1) actively growing plants with some flowers before anthesis (GS1), (2) plants with about 50 % fully expanded leaves and immature fruits (GS2) and (3) plants with mature fruits and senescing basal leaves (GS3). Leaf conductance to water vapour as well as leaf and fruit water potential were measured. Hydraulic measurements were made using both the high-pressure flow meter (HPFM) and the vacuum chamber (VC) technique.

Key Results

The hydraulic architecture of hot pepper plants during the fruiting phase was clearly addressed to favour water supply to growing fruits. Hydraulic measurements revealed that leaves of GS1 plants as well as leaves and fruit peduncles of GS2 plants were free from significant xylem embolism. Substantial increases in leaf petiole and fruit peduncle resistivity were recorded in GS3 plants irrespective of the hydraulic technique used. The higher fraction of resistivity measured using the VC technique compared with the HPFM technique was apparently due to conduit embolism.

Conclusions

The present study is the first to look at the hydraulics of leaves and fruits during growth and maturation through direct, simultaneous measurements of water status and xylem efficiency of both plant regions at different hours of the day.