Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ying Yang, Laifeng Lu, Dandan Sun, Jinghao Wang, Nifei Wang, Liping Qiao, Qingbin Guo, Changlu Wang
Summary: The study showed that OGs generated by fungal PG could delay tomato fruit softening and maintain fruit firmness; RNA sequencing data confirmed the involvement of pathways like ethylene and jasmonic acid signals; Suppressing the expression of ethylene response factor SlERF6 could attenuate the softening process restrained by OG.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zunyang Song, Xiaoyang Zhu, Xiuhua Lai, Hangcong Chen, Lihua Wang, Yulin Yao, Weixin Chen, Xueping Li
Summary: Banana is a sensitive fruit that is prone to softening disorder caused by chilling injuries. This study discovered the regulatory mechanisms of fruit softening and ripening process, specifically through the interaction of MaBEL1 protein with cell wall and starch degradation-related genes. The overexpression of MaBEL1 promoted fruit softening and ripening, while its silencing repressed these processes. Additionally, the MaBEL1-MaEBF1-MaABI5-like complex system was found to mediate fruit softening and ripening disorder in Fenjiao bananas caused by cold stress.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Ting-hui Chen, Wei Wei, Wei Shan, Jian-fei Kuang, Jian-ye Chen, Wang-jin Lu, Ying-ying Yang
Summary: Fruit ripening and softening is a complex process regulated by a wide range of genes, and histone modification plays a critical role in precise gene expression. This study identified a NAC transcription factor MaNAC154 as a negative regulator of banana fruit ripening and found its interaction with a histone deacetylase MaHDA6 to enhance transcriptional repression capacity, revealing a coordinated mechanism involving histone deacetylation and transcription factor-mediated gene repression for banana fruit ripening.
POSTHARVEST BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kenan Jia, Wei Wang, Qing Zhang, Wensuo Jia
Summary: Plant cell walls are crucial for plant growth and adaptation to environmental stresses. Plants have evolved signaling mechanisms to maintain cell wall integrity, which can be activated by environmental and developmental signals. While the signaling pathways associated with environmental stress have been well studied, less attention has been given to cell wall integrity signaling in relation to normal plant growth and development. This review focuses on the role of cell wall integrity signaling in fruit ripening, including the signaling pathways involved in cell wall fragment, calcium, and NO signaling, as well as the involvement of Receptor-Like Protein Kinases (RLKs), specifically FERONIA and THESEUS, in hormone signal regulation during fruit development and ripening.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Xiang-lu Li, Qiu-fang Su, Rong-jian Jia, Zi-dun Wang, Jiang-hong Fu, Jian-hua Guo, Hui-Juan Yang, Zheng-yang Zhao
Summary: This study focused on the variations in fruit firmness, cell wall morphology and components, the activity of cell wall hydrolytic enzymes and the expression patterns of associated genes during fruit development in two different types of apple cultivars. It was found that differences in cell wall components, hydrolytic enzyme activities, and gene expression patterns may be responsible for the variations in fruit texture. The morphology and arrangement of fruit cells also play a role in determining fruit texture.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Sajid Ali, Muhammad Akbar Anjum, Ahmad Sattar Khan, Aamir Nawaz, Shaghef Ejaz, Ghulam Khaliq, Shahid Iqbal, Sami Ullah, Rana Naveed Ur Rehman, Muhammad Moaaz Ali, Muhammad Shahzad Saleem
Summary: The application of CMC coating on mango fruits can reduce weight loss and disease incidence, delay fruit ripening, and maintain the quality of the fruits.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mawande Hugh Shinga, Olaniyi Amos Fawole
Summary: This study aimed to examine the efficacy of Opuntia ficus indica mucilage (OFIM) edible coating in minimizing softening in bananas under retail conditions. The results showed that OFIM treatment effectively delayed banana softening and chlorophyll degradation, maintaining higher firmness and chlorophyll content in bananas, as well as inhibiting ripening-associated processes, thus extending the shelf life of bananas.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Nana Fan, Wuwu Wen, Li Gao, Aimin Lv, Liantai Su, Peng Zhou, Yuan An
Summary: This study investigates the role of the polygalacturonase gene MsPG4 in regulating cell wall extensibility and alfalfa resistance to aluminum (Al) stress. The results show that MsPG4 effectively increases cell wall extensibility and Al resistance in alfalfa through hydrolysis of pectins in the cell wall.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ming Qian, Ze Xu, Zehua Zhang, Qin Li, Xiangyan Yan, Hangkong Liu, Mingyu Han, Furui Li, Jicheng Zheng, Dong Zhang, Caiping Zhao
Summary: The downregulation of PpPG21 and PpPG22 expression in melting-flesh peach delays fruit softening by influencing pectin depolymerization, indicating their major role in the development of the melting texture trait of peaches.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yibo Ren, Baijun Li, Haoran Jia, Xiaofang Yang, Yunfan Sun, Jiahan Shou, Guihua Jiang, Yanna Shi, Kunsong Chen
Summary: In this study, we compared three cultivated strawberries using firmness measurement, transcriptome analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and correlation analysis. We identified FaEXP7, FaPG2, FaPLA, and Fa beta-Gal4 as potential softening activators expressed before harvest, while FaCEL1-1 and FaCEL1-3 were found to intensify the softening process during ripening. FaCEL1-3 played a key role in promoting strawberry fruit softening not only during ripening but also postharvest. These findings highlight the role of cell wall-associated genes in controlling fruit firmness and shelf life in cultivated strawberries.
FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zunyang Song, Hangcong Chen, Xiuhua Lai, Lihua Wang, Yulin Yao, Jiajia Qin, Xuequn Pang, Hong Zhu, Weixin Chen, Xueping Li, Xiaoyang Zhu
Summary: The study reveals that MaCCCH33-like2 TF and its associated proteins play important roles in fruit softening of 'Fenjiao' bananas. MaCCCH33-like2 directly interacts with the promoters of genes responsible for starch and cell wall degradation. It also forms interactions with other proteins, enhancing the activation of genes related to these processes. Overexpression of MaCCCH33-like2 promotes softening and ripening, while silencing MaCCCH33-like2 inhibits these processes. The activity of MaCCCH33-like2 is regulated by MaABI5-like.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yanna Shi, Julia Vrebalov, Hui Zheng, Yimin Xu, Xueren Yin, Wenli Liu, Zimeng Liu, Iben Sorensen, Guanqing Su, Qiyue Ma, Daniel Evanich, Jocelyn K. C. Rose, Zhangjun Fei, Joyce Van Eck, Theodore Thannhauser, Kunsong Chen, James J. Giovannoni
Summary: Fruit softening is a key aspect of irreversible ripening, and the SlLOB1 transcription factor plays a role in regulating cell wall dynamics and softening, impacting the expression of cell wall-related genes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hongmei Nie, Yu Shi, Xueqing Geng, Guoming Xing
Summary: Polygalacturonase (PG) gene is a key candidate for regulating fruit firmness in tomatoes, and using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to induce mutations in the SlPG gene can delay fruit softening. Additionally, transgene-free tomato plants with mutated SlPG alleles were identified, providing materials for further research on SlPG functions and the molecular mechanism of fruit softening in tomatoes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
Qian Zhou, Fan Zhang, Shujuan Ji, Hongyu Dai, Xin Zhou, Baodong Wei, Shunchang Cheng, Aide Wang
Summary: Abscisic acid plays a promoting role in postharvest blueberry softening by regulating cell wall metabolism and phytohormone accumulation, while the ABA inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid delays the softening process.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Ze Xu, Jieyu Dai, Liping Liang, Pei Shi, Kamran Shah, Hangkong Liu, Juanjuan Ma, Libo Xing, Yanan Hu, Dong Zhang, Caiping Zhao
Summary: Fruit ripening is a complex process regulated by a regulatory network formed by transcription factors and ripening-related genes. This study identified an ethylene response factor, PpERF61, that plays a role in ethylene biosynthesis and fruit softening during peach ripening. PpERF61 activates the transcription of ripening-related genes and forms a signaling cascade with PpSEP1 to promote the transcription of specific genes. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory network involved in peach fruit ripening.
POSTHARVEST BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Osete-Alcaraz, Encarna Gomez-Plaza, Pilar Martinez-Perez, Florent Weiller, Julia Schuckel, William G. T. Willats, John P. Moore, Jose M. Ros-Garcia, Ana B. Bautista-Ortin
Summary: The study found that hydrolytic enzymes, especially cellulase, pectinase, and xylanase, can limit the interaction between tannins and cell walls by modifying the cell wall structure. However, these enzymes did not significantly contribute to desorbing bound tannins.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Elena Palomo-Rios, Isabel Narvaez, Fernando Pliego-Alfaro, Jose A. Mercado
Summary: Olive is crucial oil crop in Mediterranean region, and genetic transformation technology has great potential to enhance olive cultivation, while optimization of protocols is key to success.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kathrin M. Bender, Mette M. Svenning, Yuntao Hu, Andreas Richter, Julia Schuckel, Bodil Jorgensen, Susanne Liebner, Alexander T. Tveit
Summary: The herbivory by barnacle geese in high-Arctic peatlands impacts vegetation cover, ecosystem productivity, and soil microbiota activity. Reduction in herbivory results in a different vegetation composition with increased input of polysaccharides to the soil, supporting a larger and more diverse microbiota community. Increased gene expression for polysaccharide degradation and elevated presence of predatory eukaryotes were observed in herbivory-excused areas.
Article
Plant Sciences
Florent Weiller, Julia Schueckel, William G. T. Willats, Azeddine Driouich, Melane A. Vivier, John P. Moore
Summary: This study examined the changes in grape cell wall composition during infection with Botrytis cinerea using comprehensive microarray polymer profiling and monosaccharide compositional analysis. The results showed degradation of pectin polymers during infection, with table grape cultivars exhibiting more severe symptoms compared to wine grape cultivars. Specific changes in the grape cell wall compositional profiles appear to correlate with fungal disease susceptibility, with factors such as pectin methylesterification profiles and extensin reorganization potentially influencing resistance.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Gonzalo Garrido-Banuelos, Astrid Buica, Brock Kuhlman, Julia Schuckel, Anscha J. J. Zietsman, William G. T. Willats, John P. Moore, Wessel J. du Toit
Summary: The study explores the impact of different maceration times on the phenolic levels and evolution in young red wines, finding that longer maceration times do not always result in increased phenolic concentration, although complexity seems to be higher. Continuous depectination and possible solubilization of pectin observed during extended maceration may affect sensory perception of the wines, and maceration time also influences the polymeric fraction and sensory perception of the wines.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sergio Cerezo, M. Luisa Hernandez, Elena Palomo-Rios, Naima Gouffi, Lourdes Garcia-Vico, M. Dolores Sicardo, Carlos Sanz, Jose A. Mercado, Fernando Pliego-Alfaro, Jose M. Martinez-Rivas
Summary: The investigation on the functional analysis of the olive 13-HPL gene through overexpression and silencing demonstrated its important role in the biosynthesis of olive volatile compounds, impacting the quality of virgin olive oil. The study revealed that altering the expression levels of 13-HPL gene resulted in significant changes in the volatile profile of the leaves, affecting plant growth and development.
Article
Plant Sciences
Moreno-Ortega Guillermo, Zumaquero Adela, Matas Antonio, Nicholas A. Olivier, van den Berg Noelani, Elena Palomo-Rios, Martinez-Ferri Elsa, Pliego Clara
Summary: Avocado consumption is increasing year by year and its cultivation has spread to many countries with low water availability, which poses a threat to the sustainability and profitability of avocado orchards. This research evaluated the physiological and molecular responses of 'Dusa' avocado rootstock to different levels of water stress, showing that severe water stress led to significantly poorer physiological performance, while most parameters recovered quickly after rewatering at both mild and severe water stress levels. The molecular analysis revealed a wide transcriptome response to water stress, with differential expression of genes related to drought tolerance.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gloria Lopez-Casado, Cristina Sanchez-Raya, Pablo D. Ric-Varas, Candelas Paniagua, Rosario Blanco-Portales, Juan Munoz-Blanco, Sara Pose, Antonio J. Matas, Jose A. Mercado
Summary: In this study, the FaPG1 gene in strawberries was edited using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, resulting in firmer fruits with reduced softening. Minor changes were observed in other fruit quality traits. The edited fruits showed improved resistance to postharvest softening, transpirational water loss, and Botrytis cinerea infection.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Felix J. Martinez-Rivas, Rosario Blanco-Portales, Maria P. Serratosa, Pablo Ric-Varas, Victor Guerrero-Sanchez, Laura Medina-Puche, Lourdes Moyano, Jose A. Mercado, Saleh Alseekh, Jose L. Caballero, Alisdair R. R. Fernie, Juan Munoz-Blanco, Francisco J. J. Molina-Hidalgo
Summary: In this study, the strawberry transcription factor FaMYB123 was found to be regulated by ABA and auxin, and it plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins/flavonoids.
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alicia Talavera, Aboozar Soorni, Aureliano Bombarely, Antonio J. Matas, Jose I. Hormaza
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alicia Talavera, Noe Fernandez-Pozo, Antonio J. Matas, Jose I. Hormaza, Aureliano Bombarely
Summary: This study provides important genomic resources to fill the knowledge gap and enhance the crop's resilience under different climate change scenarios, thereby increasing food security in regions with subtropical climates.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)