Molecular characterization of the expression of distinct classes of cyclins during the early development of tomato fruit

Early fruit development in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) proceeds from two distinct phases of growth, essentially cell division and cell expansion. In this study, we investigated the expression characteristics of the key cell-cycle regulators, mitotic and G1 cyclins, during tomato fruit development. We isolated six genes designated Lyces: CycA1;1, Lyces;CycA2;1, Lyces; CycA3:1, Lyces;CycB1;1 and Lyces;CycB2;1 encoding tomato mitotic cyclins, and Lyces;CycD3;1 encoding a G1 cyclin. The accumulation of transcripts was predominantly associated with mitotically active organs: developing fruits, young leaves and roots, and with cell-suspension cultures under appropriate sugar feeding conditions. Transcripts for all the isolated cyclin genes could be detected in the epidermis and pericarp of fruit tissues where some slight mitotic activity still remained at the onset of ripening. However, Lyces;CycA3;1 and Lyces;CycD3:1 were expressed in the gel tissue at the late stage of fruit development, suggesting that they are involved in endoreduplication of the differentiated and giant cells of the gel tissue.