Expression and functional analysis of a novel MYB gene, MdMYB110a_JP, responsible for red flesh, not skin color in apple fruit

The red color of skin is a much desired property in apple production. For better red fruit coloration the applications of foliar fertilizers on the basis of calcium and phosphorus are used. In the present study ‘Braeburn’ apple trees were sprayed twice with Phostrade Ca (phosphorus), 5 and 3 weeks before harvest. In 7-days intervals fruit color, the content of flavonoids and enzyme activity involved in the synthesis of anthocyanins have been monitored. Foliar application of Phostrade Ca caused a more intense red skin color of apples and higher anthocyanin content. Their level increased during ripening, in treated apples the content of total anthocyanins was 20-fold higher at harvest while in control apples only 9-fold higher compared to the initial values. Cyanidin 3-galactoside was the most abundant anthocyanin (80 to 86% of total anthocyanins), followed by cyanidin 3-arabinoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-xyloside and cyanidin 7-arabinoside. Prostrade Ca increased the levels of all quercetin glycosides, with the exception of quercetin 3-rhamnoside. No significant influence of Phostrade Ca on the content of hydroxycinnamic acids, dihydrochalcones, flavanols and total phenolics has been monitored. The activity of FHT and DFR increased during ripening but Phostrade Ca influenced only higher activity of DFR.

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Expression analysis of MYB genes in different apple cultivars with distinct coloration pattern during fruit maturation

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences ◽

10.1163/22238980-bja10043 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Emine Ece Mercan ◽

Mehtap Şahin-Çevik

Keyword(s):

Skin Color ◽

Anthocyanin Biosynthesis ◽

Red Light ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Anthocyanin Content ◽

Fruit Maturation ◽

Fruit Samples ◽

Apple Cultivars

Abstract Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments responsible for red, pink, purple or blue coloration in the flesh and/or skin of apple fruit. Since consumers prefer anthocyanin rich fruits due to their health benefits, anthocyanin content is an important trait for marketability of apples. Synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanins are controlled by environmental and genetic factors such as transcription factors (TFs). Two-repeat (R2R3) MYB TFs are involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. In this study, the expression of the MdMYBA and MdMYB3 genes encoding R2R3 type MYB TFs were analyzed in apple cultivars with fruit skin color from green to dark red at different growth stages. Fruit samples were collected from “Scarlet Spur”, “Galaxy Gala”, Golden Delicious” “Granny Smith” apple cultivars with dark red, light red, yellow and green fruits, respectively, at four different time periods after full-bloom. Total RNA was isolated from the peel of the collected fruits and the expression of the MdMYBA and MdMYB3 genes was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. The expression of the MdMYBA gene started to increase at 92 DAFB and thereafter in red-skin apples; however, no expression was observed at any time points in yellow or green-skin apple cultivars. On the other hand, the MdMYB3 gene was expressed in red-skin and yellow-skin apple cultivars starting at 55 DAFB, but no expression was observed in green apple cultivar at any time of fruit maturation. The expression levels of the MdMYBA and MdMYB3 genes varied in apple fruits with different skin coloration indicating that they play a role regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple cultivars during fruit maturation.

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Characterization and functional analysis of slc7a11 gene, involved in skin color differentiation in the red tilapia

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A Molecular & Integrative Physiology ◽

10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.110529 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 236 ◽

pp. 110529 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lan-mei Wang ◽

Hong-yi Bu ◽

Fei-biao Song ◽

Wen-bin Zhu ◽

Jian-jun Fu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Analysis ◽

Skin Color ◽

Red Tilapia

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COMPOSITIONAL AND FRUIT QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS IN APPLE FRUIT AND LEAVES

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps69-067 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 403-407

Author(s):

F. B. Johnston ◽

Madeleine M. Hammill ◽

L. P. Spangelo ◽

R. Watkins

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Negative Correlation ◽

Skin Color ◽

Free Acid ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Fruit Characteristics ◽

Total Acid ◽

Fruit Composition ◽

Leaf Composition

Leaf composition, fruit composition and physical characteristics of the fruit were compared in a series of cultivars and scab-resistant selections. Several significant correlations between leaf and fruit composition were found. Those of greatest interest were: free acid–phenol contents; phenol–phenol; total acid–pH (negative correlation); pH–pH. The first two confirm earlier reported findings.Significant relationships between fruit characteristics and leaf analyses were noted. Diameter and depth were negatively correlated with each of leaf sugar content, free acid, total acid and phenol, and positively with pH; quality negatively with free and total acid; precocity (age of tree at bearing) positively with sugar content; and amount of red skin color positively with pH.

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Complex structure of a maize Myb gene promoter: functional analysis in transgenic plants

The Plant Journal ◽

10.1046/j.1365-313x.2000.00750.x ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 471-482 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Lyudmila V. Sidorenko ◽

Xianggan Li ◽

Suzy M. Cocciolone ◽

Surinder Chopra ◽

Laura Tagliani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Analysis ◽

Transgenic Plants ◽

Complex Structure ◽

Gene Promoter ◽

Myb Gene

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Copper Sprays—Effects on Apple Fruit Typiness and Market Color Grades

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.30.4.756c ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 756C-756

Author(s):

Frank J. Peryea ◽

Rhoda L. Burrows

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Skin Color ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Deciduous Tree ◽

Apple Industry ◽

Cu Deficiency ◽

Tree Fruit ◽

Cu Nutrition ◽

Fruit Orchards

Late dormant copper (Cu) sprays and mid-summer foliar Cu sprays are being promoted within the Washington apple industry as a means to enhance fruit typiness and red skin color, respectively. While there appears to be theoretical bases for these practices, they have not been tested for horticultural significance. Differential late dormant spray treatments of Cu hydroxide (the Cu source most commonly recommended by agricultural consultants) were imposed in two `Delicious' orchards. Flower cluster Cu was positively related to Cu rate, but the sprays had no effect on leaf Cu or on six fruit typiness variables. Differential mid-summer spray treatments of water, Cu sulfate, and Cu oxysulfate solutions were imposed in three `Delicious' orchards and one `Fuji' orchard. The Cu sprays increased leaf Cu, but had no effect on market color grade measured using a commercial color sorter. The results appear to reflect Cu physicochemistry and timing of application. These preliminary results call into question the utility of the Cu sprays for improving apple fruit quality characteristics when trees show no visual signs of Cu deficiency. They do suggest some alternative ways to manage Cu nutrition in deciduous tree fruit orchards.

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Ethanol Production and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Predict Breakdown of Heat-stressed Apple Fruit During Cold Storage

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs.130.2.237 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 130 (2) ◽

pp. 237-243 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Lihua Fan ◽

Jun Song ◽

Charles F. Forney ◽

Michael A. Jordan

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Chlorophyll Fluorescence ◽

Ethanol Production ◽

Ethylene Production ◽

Skin Color ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Heat Treatments ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Severity Of Injury ◽

Flesh Browning

Ethanol concentration and chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) were measured as signs of heat stress in apple fruit [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.]. `McIntosh', `Cortland', `Jonagold', and `Northern Spy' apples were placed in trays and exposed to 46 °C for 0, 4, 8, or 12 hours. Following treatments, fruit were stored in air at 0 °C and evaluated after 0, 1, 2, or 3 months. Ethanol and ethylene production, CF, peel and flesh browning, firmness, skin color, soluble solids, and titratable acidity were measured. Increases in ethanol were apparent immediately following 12-hour heat treatments as well as after 3 months. After 3 months, ethanol concentrations were 16-, 52-, 6-, and 60-fold higher in `McIntosh', `Cortland', `Jonagold', and `Northern Spy' apples than in controls, respectively. The concentrations of ethanol accumulated reflected the degree of heat-induced fruit injury. Heat treatments reduced ethylene production relative to control values. After 3 months of storage ethylene production of fruit exposed to 46 °C for 12 h was <0.48 μmol·kg-1·h-1 compared to >4.3 μmol·kg-1·h-1 for controls. Heat treatments also reduced CF which was expressed as Fv/Fm, where Fv is the difference between the maximal and the minimal fluorescence (Fm - Fo), and Fm is the maximal fluorescence. After 3 months storage at 0 °C, Fv/Fm was ≈0.2 in fruit held at 46 °C for 12 hours compared with 0.5-0.6 for control fruit. Exposure to 46 °C for 12 hours caused severe peel and flesh browning in all cultivars. Severity of peel and flesh browning increased with increasing duration of heat treatment and subsequent storage at 0 °C. `Northern Spy' apple fruit were most susceptible to heat stress based on the degree of flesh browning. Heat treatments of 8 and 12 hours reduced firmness of `McIntosh', `Cortland', and `Northern Spy', but not `Jonagold' apples. Hue angle of the green side of fruit was also reduced in `Cortland', Jonagold' and `Northern Spy' apples receiving the 8- and 12-hour treatments. Heat treatments caused a decrease in fruit tiratable acidity, but had no effect on soluble solids content. The increase in ethanol production and decrease in CF correlated with heat-induced injury, and were apparent before browning was visually apparent. Ethanol and CF have the potential to be used to nondestructively predict the severity of injury that develops during storage.

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Metabolic Response of ‘Topaz’ Apple Fruit to Minimal Application of Nitrogen during Cell Enlargement Stage

Horticulturae ◽

10.3390/horticulturae7090266 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. 266

Author(s):

Jerneja Jakopic ◽

Valentina Schmitzer ◽

Robert Veberic ◽

Tina Smrke ◽

Franci Stampar

Keyword(s):

Fruit Development ◽

Skin Color ◽

Low Dose ◽

Metabolic Response ◽

Foliar Application ◽

Starch Content ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Soluble Solid ◽

And Control ◽

Fruit Mass

Nitrogen is an integral element of foliar sprays during apple fruit formation. However, in red cultivars, the application may have adverse effects on color in the second stage of fruit development. The effect of a low-dose foliar application of urea was monitored on ‘Topaz’ apple pomometric (fruit mass, firmness, total solids, starch content, skin color) and biochemical traits (primary metabolites, phenolic compounds, and assimilatory pigments). Three applications (17 July, 27 July, and 18 August) of two different urea doses (N1 = 1.4 kg N ha−1; N4 = 4 kg N ha−1) and control (N0, only sprayed with water) were used. Low doses of urea did not affect flesh firmness, total soluble, solid, and starch content, but individual fruit mass was significantly higher in N1 treatment compared to the other two treatments. Significantly lower a* parameters and a lower content of anthocyanins were measured on apples subject to N4 treatment. Many secondary metabolites (phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, and chalcones) were also negatively affected by low-dose urea application. Conversely, urea treatments significantly increased total assimilatory pigments in apple skin. Even minor levels of nitrogen, applied directly on the leaf at later stages of red apple fruit development, negatively altered color traits and the composition of metabolites.

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Skin Color in Apple Fruit (Malus × domestica): Genetic and Epigenetic Insights

Epigenomes ◽

10.3390/epigenomes4030013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Wuqian Wang ◽

Jean-Marc Celton ◽

Gerhard Buck-Sorlin ◽

Sandrine Balzergue ◽

Etienne Bucher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Consumer Choice ◽

Skin Color ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Explanatory Models ◽

Major Influence ◽

Exact Nature ◽

Phenotypic Differences ◽

Phenotypic Changes ◽

Technological Advances ◽

Important Trait

Apple skin color is an important trait for organoleptic quality. In fact, it has a major influence on consumer choice. Skin color is, thus, one of the most important criteria taken into account by breeders. For apples, most novel varieties are so-called “mutants” or “sports” that have been identified in clonal populations. Indeed, many “sports” exist that show distinct phenotypic differences compared to the varieties from which they originated. These differences affect a limited number of traits of economic importance, including skin color. Until recently, the detailed genetic or epigenetic changes resulting in heritable phenotypic changes in sports was largely unknown. Recent technological advances and the availability of several high-quality apple genomes now provide the bases to understand the exact nature of the underlying molecular changes that are responsible for the observed phenotypic changes observed in sports. The present review investigates the molecular nature of sports affected in apple skin color giving arguments in favor of the genetic or epigenetic explanatory models.

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