PLANT PHYSIOLOGY , Vol 105, Issue 1 225-231, Copyright © 1994 by American Society of Plant Biologists

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENE REGULATION

Peach (Prunus persica) Endopolygalacturonase cDNA Isolation and mRNA Analysis in Melting and Nonmelting Peach Cultivars

D. R. Lester, J. Speirs, G. Orr and C. J. Brady
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Division of Horticulture, P.O. Box 52, North Ryde, 2113, Australia

Two distinct partial cDNAs, PRF1 and PRF3, similar in sequence to previously described polygalacturonases, were amplified from ripe peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv Flavorcrest) fruit cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction. PRF1-related RNA was present in fruit from early ripening at levels not detected by northern analysis. PRF3-related RNA was readily detectable in ripe fruit by northern analysis. PRF3 was used to isolate a cDNA with a complete open reading frame, PRF5, from a [lambda]ZAP II cDNA library prepared from poly(A)+ RNA of ripe peach fruit. PRF5 coded for a predicted protein of 393 amino acids with a molecular mass of 41,500 D. The derived amino acid sequence of PRF5 included a putative leader sequence of 23 amino acids, followed by a sequence that matched the N terminus of endopolygalacturonase protein purified from ripe peach fruit. By northern analysis, PRF3-related RNA was undetectable in firm, unripe Flavorcrest fruit. It appeared at low levels as a 1.7-kb transcript in fruit that had begun to ripen and soften and was very abundant in ripe fruit that had undergone the "melting" stage of softening. The marked increase in PRF3-related RNA levels took place over a period of less than 2 d at 20[deg]C and coincided with the climacteric peak in ethylene evolution. Levels of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase-related RNA increased during ripening at a much earlier stage than levels of PRF3-related RNA. Lower levels of 1.7-kb RNA transcript were detected by PRF3 in ripe fruit of the melting cultivar Fragar, which are firmer than Flavorcrest fruit. In ripe fruit of the nonmelting cultivar Carolyn, PRF3 detected a 1.45-kb RNA transcript that was present at low levels. Transcripts of a peach polygalacturonase-related genomic sequence were not detected in ripening fruit.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G.A. Manganaris, M. Vasilakakis, I. Mignani, and A. Manganaris Cell Wall Physicochemical Properties as Indicators of Peach Quality During Fruit Ripening after Cold Storage Food Science and Technology International, August 1, 2008; 14(4): 385 - 391. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Tatsuki, T. Haji, and M. Yamaguchi The involvement of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase isogene, Pp-ACS1, in peach fruit softening J. Exp. Bot., March 1, 2006; 57(6): 1281 - 1289. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Trainotti, A. Pavanello, and D. Zanin PpEG4 is a peach endo-{beta}-1,4-glucanase gene whose expression in climacteric peaches does not follow a climacteric pattern J. Exp. Bot., February 1, 2006; 57(3): 589 - 598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Brummell, V. Dal Cin, C. H. Crisosto, and J. M. Labavitch Cell wall metabolism during maturation, ripening and senescence of peach fruit J. Exp. Bot., September 1, 2004; 55(405): 2029 - 2039. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Trainotti, D. Zanin, and G. Casadoro A cell wall-oriented genomic approach reveals a new and unexpected complexity of the softening in peaches J. Exp. Bot., August 1, 2003; 54(389): 1821 - 1832. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Hiwasa, Y. Kinugasa, S. Amano, A. Hashimoto, R. Nakano, A. Inaba, and Y. Kubo Ethylene is required for both the initiation and progression of softening in pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruit J. Exp. Bot., February 1, 2003; 54(383): 771 - 779. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Redondo-Nevado, E. Moyano, N. Medina-Escobar, J.L. Caballero, and J. Munoz-Blanco A fruit-specific and developmentally regulated endopolygalacturonase gene from strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv. Chandler) J. Exp. Bot., September 1, 2001; 52(362): 1941 - 1945. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Sitrit, K. A. Hadfield, A. B. Bennett, K. J. Bradford, and A. B. Downie Expression of a Polygalacturonase Associated with Tomato Seed Germination Plant Physiology, October 1, 1999; 121(2): 419 - 428. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. A. Hadfield and A. B. Bennett Polygalacturonases: Many Genes in Search of a Function Plant Physiology, June 1, 1998; 117(2): 337 - 343. [Full Text]

				K. A. Hadfield, J. K.C. Rose, D. S. Yaver, R. M. Berka, and A. B. Bennett Polygalacturonase Gene Expression in Ripe Melon Fruit Supports a Role for Polygalacturonase in Ripening-Associated Pectin Disassembly Plant Physiology, June 1, 1998; 117(2): 363 - 373. [Abstract] [Full Text]