Regulation of fruit ripening by the brassinosteroid biosynthetic gene SlCYP90B3 via an ethylene-dependent pathway in tomato

Abstract The essential role of ethylene in fruit ripening has been thoroughly studied. However, the involvement of brassinosteroids (BRs) in the regulation of fruit ripening and their relationship with the ethylene pathway are poorly understood. In the current study, we found that BRs were actively synthesized during tomato fruit ripening. We then generated transgenic lines overexpressing or silencing SlCYP90B3, which encodes a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that catalyzes the rate-limiting step of BR synthesis. The expression level of SlCYP90B3 was positively related to the contents of bioactive BRs as well as the ripening process in tomato fruit, including enhanced softening and increased soluble sugar and flavor volatile contents. Both carotenoid accumulation and ethylene production were strongly correlated with the expression level of SlCYP90B3, corroborated by the altered expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes as well as ethylene pathway genes in transgenic tomato fruits. However, the application of the ethylene perception inhibitor 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) abolished the promotion effect of SlCYP90B3 overexpression on carotenoid accumulation. Taken together, these results increase our understanding of the involvement of SlCYP90B3 in bioactive BR biosynthesis as well as fruit ripening in tomato, thus making SlCYP90B3 a target gene for improvement of visual, nutritional and flavor qualities of tomato fruits with no yield penalty.

Download Full-text

Interference with Clp protease impairs carotenoid accumulation during tomato fruit ripening

Journal of Experimental Botany ◽

10.1093/jxb/erx491 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 69 (7) ◽

pp. 1557-1568 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Lucio D’Andrea ◽

Miguel Simon-Moya ◽

Briardo Llorente ◽

Ernesto Llamas ◽

Mónica Marro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Clp Protease ◽

Carotenoid Accumulation ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening

Download Full-text

Re-evaluation of the nor mutation and the role of the NAC-NOR transcription factor in tomato fruit ripening

Journal of Experimental Botany ◽

10.1093/jxb/eraa131 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (12) ◽

pp. 3560-3574 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ying Gao ◽

Wei Wei ◽

Zhongqi Fan ◽

Xiaodan Zhao ◽

Yiping Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Pectate Lyase ◽

Ethylene Biosynthesis ◽

Fruit Softening ◽

Wild Type ◽

Gain Of Function ◽

Carotenoid Accumulation ◽

Acid Protein ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening

Abstract The tomato non-ripening (nor) mutant generates a truncated 186-amino-acid protein (NOR186) and has been demonstrated previously to be a gain-of-function mutant. Here, we provide more evidence to support this view and answer the open question of whether the NAC-NOR gene is important in fruit ripening. Overexpression of NAC-NOR in the nor mutant did not restore the full ripening phenotype. Further analysis showed that the truncated NOR186 protein is located in the nucleus and binds to but does not activate the promoters of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase2 (SlACS2), geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase2 (SlGgpps2), and pectate lyase (SlPL), which are involved in ethylene biosynthesis, carotenoid accumulation, and fruit softening, respectively. The activation of the promoters by the wild-type NOR protein can be inhibited by the mutant NOR186 protein. On the other hand, ethylene synthesis, carotenoid accumulation, and fruit softening were significantly inhibited in CR-NOR (CRISPR/Cas9-edited NAC-NOR) fruit compared with the wild-type, but much less severely affected than in the nor mutant, while they were accelerated in OE-NOR (overexpressed NAC-NOR) fruit. These data further indicated that nor is a gain-of-function mutation and NAC-NOR plays a significant role in ripening of wild-type fruit.

Download Full-text

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor bHLH95 affects fruit ripening and multiple metabolisms in tomato

Journal of Experimental Botany ◽

10.1093/jxb/eraa363 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (20) ◽

pp. 6311-6327

Author(s):

Lincheng Zhang ◽

Jing Kang ◽

Qiaoli Xie ◽

Jun Gong ◽

Hui Shen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Soluble Sugar ◽

Glutathione Metabolism ◽

Bhlh Transcription Factor ◽

Total Carotenoids ◽

Helix Loop Helix ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening

Abstract Ethylene signaling pathways regulate several physiological alterations that occur during tomato fruit ripening, such as changes in colour and flavour. The mechanisms underlying the transcriptional regulation of genes in these pathways remain unclear, although the role of the MADS-box transcription factor RIN has been widely reported. Here, we describe a bHLH transcription factor, SlbHLH95, whose transcripts accumulated abundantly in breaker+4 and breaker+7 fruits compared with rin (ripening inhibitor) and Nr (never ripe) mutants. Moreover, the promoter activity of SlbHLH95 was regulated by RIN in vivo. Suppression of SlbHLH95 resulted in reduced sensitivity to ethylene, decreased accumulation of total carotenoids, and lowered glutathione content, and inhibited the expression of fruit ripening- and glutathione metabolism-related genes. Conversely, up-regulation of SlbHLH95 in wild-type tomato resulted in higher sensitivity to ethylene, increased accumulation of total carotenoids, slightly premature ripening, and elevated accumulation of glutathione, soluble sugar, and starch. Notably, overexpression of SlbHLH95 in rin led to the up-regulated expression of fruit ripening-related genes (FUL1, FUL2, SAUR69, ERF4, and CNR) and multiple glutathione metabolism-related genes (GSH1, GSH2, GSTF1, and GSTF5). These results clarified that SlbHLH95 participates in the regulation of fruit ripening and affects ethylene sensitivity and multiple metabolisms targeted by RIN in tomato.

Download Full-text

Influence of fruit ripening acceleration measures on flowering and fruiting of small-sized tomato

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.2006.074 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 191-198

Author(s):

Renata Dobromilska ◽

Katarzyna Kujath

Keyword(s):

Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Tomato Fruits ◽

Experimental Station ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Cultivars

The investigations were carried out in 2001-2003 at the Horticulture Experimental Station, University of Agriculture in Szczecin. The influence of truss cutting and application of Ethrel preparation on the flowering and acceleration of ripening of small-sized tomato fruit was studied. The experiment focused on the following factors: methods of acceleration of tomato fruit ripening (truss cutting, Ethrel preparation, truss cutting + Ethrel preparation) and tomato cultivars ('Cheresita F1', 'Favorita F1'). The applied methods had no influence on the number of flowers and germs of the small-sized tomato. The truss cutting increased the percentage of set fruits compared to the number of flowers. The application of Ethrel preparation along with truss cutting significantly increased the early yield of tomato fruits. The Ethrel and truss cutting accelerated the small-sized tomato harvesting by 12 days. Cv. 'Cheresita F1' produced a larger number of flowers, germs and fruits than 'Favorita F1'.

Download Full-text

PYL9 is involved in the regulation of ABA signaling during tomato fruit ripening

Journal of Experimental Botany ◽

10.1093/jxb/erz396 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 70 (21) ◽

pp. 6305-6319 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Wenbin Kai ◽

Juan Wang ◽

Bin Liang ◽

Ying Fu ◽

Yu Zheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Primary Root ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Aba Signaling ◽

Wild Type ◽

Cell Wall Modification ◽

Altered Expression ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening ◽

Aba Receptors

Abstract Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates fruit ripening, yet little is known about the exact roles of ABA receptors in fruit. In this study, we reveal the role of SlPYL9, a tomato pyrabactin resistance (PYR)/pyrobactin resistance-like (PYL)/regulatory component of ABA receptors (RCAR) protein, as a positive regulator of ABA signaling and fruit ripening. SlPYL9 inhibits protein phosphatase-type 2C (PP2C2/6) in an ABA dose-dependent way, and it interacts physically with SlPP2C2/3/4/5 in an ABA-dependent manner. Expression of SlPYL9 was observed in the seeds, flowers, and fruits. Overexpression and suppression of SlPYL9 induced a variety of phenotypes via altered expression of ABA signaling genes (SlPP2C1/2/9, SlSnRK2.8, SlABF2), thereby affecting expression of ripening-related genes involved in ethylene release and cell wall modification. SlPYL9-OE/RNAi plants showed a typical ABA hyper-/hypo-sensitive phenotype in terms of seed germination, primary root growth, and response to drought. Fruit ripening was significantly accelerated in SlPYL9-OE by 5–7 d as a result of increased endogenous ABA accumulation and advanced release of ethylene compared with the wild-type. In the SlPYL9-RNAi lines, fruit ripening was delayed, mesocarp thickness was enhanced, and petal abscission was delayed compared with the wild-type, resulting in conical/oblong and gourd-shaped fruits. These results suggest that SlPYL9 is involved in ABA signaling, thereby playing a role in the regulation of flower abscission and fruit ripening in tomato.

Download Full-text

Carotenoid accumulation during tomato fruit ripening is modulated by the auxin-ethylene balance

BMC Plant Biology ◽

10.1186/s12870-015-0495-4 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

Liyan Su ◽

Gianfranco Diretto ◽

Eduardo Purgatto ◽

Saïda Danoun ◽

Mohamed Zouine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Ripening ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Carotenoid Accumulation ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening

Download Full-text

Rosmarinic Acid Delays Tomato Fruit Ripening by Regulating Ripening-Associated Traits

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10111821 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1821

Author(s):

Changan Zhu ◽

Shaofang Wu ◽

Ting Sun ◽

Zhiwen Zhou ◽

Zhangjian Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shelf Life ◽

Fruit Ripening ◽

Rosmarinic Acid ◽

Color Change ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Tomato Fruits ◽

Tomato Fruit Ripening ◽

Sensory Evolution ◽

Reduced Forms

Fruits are excellent sources of essential vitamins and health-boosting minerals. Recently, regulation of fruit ripening by both internal and external cues for the improvement of fruit quality and shelf life has received considerable attention. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a kind of natural plant-derived polyphenol, widely used in the drug therapy and food industry due to its distinct physiological functions. However, the role of RA in plant growth and development, especially at the postharvest period of fruits, remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that postharvest RA treatment delayed the ripening in tomato fruits. Exogenous application of RA decreased ripening-associated ethylene production and inhibited the fruit color change from green to red based on the decline in lycopene accumulation. We also found that the degradation of sucrose and malic acid during ripening was significantly suppressed in RA-treated tomato fruits. The results of metabolite profiling showed that RA application promoted the accumulation of multiple amino acids in tomato fruits, such as aspartic acid, serine, tyrosine, and proline. Meanwhile, RA application also strengthened the antioxidant system by increasing both the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the contents of reduced forms of antioxidants. These findings not only unveiled a novel function of RA in fruit ripening, but also indicated an attractive strategy to manage and improve shelf life, flavor, and sensory evolution of tomato fruits.

Download Full-text