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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wenatchee, Washington » Physiology and Pathology of Tree Fruits Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #253444
Title: Transcriptome profiling analysis of cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and texture attributes

Author
item Zhu, Yanmin
item ZHENG, PING - Washington State University
item VARANASI, VIJAYA - Washington State University Extension Service
item MAIN, DORRIE - Washington State University
item Curry, Eric
item Mattheis, James

Submitted to: American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2010
Publication Date: 4/30/2010
Citation: Zhu, Y., Zheng, P., Varanasi, V., Main, D., Curry, E.A., Mattheis, J.P. 2010. Transcriptome profiling analysis of cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and texture attributes. American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting. N/A.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Molecular events regulating cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and sensory quality are largely unknown. Such knowledge is essential for genomic-assisted apple breeding and postharvest quality management. In this study, transcriptome profile analysis, scanning electron microscopic examination and systematic physiological characterization were performed on two apple cultivars, ‘Honeycrisp’ (HC) and ‘Pink Lady’ (PL), which have distinct ripening features and texture attributes. Based on physiological characterization of fruit ripening progresses on continuing weekly samples, substantial differences of fruit crispness and firmness were observed at comparable fruit maturity. SEM images of fruit cortex tissues prepared from fruits with equivalent maturity indicate that the cell wall thickness may contribute to the observed phenotypes of fruit firmness and crispness. A high-density long-oligo apple microarray consisting of duplex 190,135 cross-hybridization-free 50-70-mer isothermal probes, and representing 23,997 unigenes was manufactured on a Nimblegen array platform. Transcriptome profile analysis identified 1793 unigene from HC and 1209 unigenes from PL, which showed differential expression patterns during ripening. Unigenes belong to several functional groups, including hormonal metabolism and response, cell wall biosynthesis and modification, transcription factors were further analyzed. Between two cultivars, most of the gene families were similarly regulated as fruit ripening. Some of the gene families or individual family members exhibited distinct expression patterns between two cultivars, which may represent candidates controlling genotype-specific apple fruit ripening and quality.