Journal
PLANT SCIENCE
Volume 171, Issue 5, Pages 640-646Publisher
ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2006.06.019
Keywords
endo-beta-(1,4)-glucanase; Fragaria x ananassa; fruit softening; strawberry; transgenic antisense plants
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) fruit softening during ripening is associated with the overlapping presence of two divergent endo-p(1,4)-glucanases (EC 3.2.1.4; EGases), Cel1 and Cel2. Antisense down-regulation of both genes was performed to assess the precise role of these endo-beta-(1,4)-glucanases on strawberry fruit softening. Constant down-regulation of cell expression throughout ripening was obtained, which was accompanied by reduced Cell protein accumulation. However, diminution of the Cell protein level together with a reduction of the total EGase activity to 40% of the control level did not affect fruit firmness, thus suggesting that Cell protein is not the major determinant of fruit softening during ripening. On the other hand, no significant reduction of Cel2 protein accumulation was found in any of the Cel2 transgenic or Cel1/Cel2 double-transgenic lines obtained. The difficulties encountered to yield a strawberry line with significant reduction of cel2 expression suggest that this gene might be playing a pivotal role on fruit development prior to ripening, thus accounting for the lack of Cel2 protein down-regulation observed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available