Coconut(Cocos nucifera L.),a major oil and fruit crop of the Arecaceae family,is extensively cultivated across the Asia—Pacific region.Despite its agricultural importance,genome assembly in coconut remains challengin...Coconut(Cocos nucifera L.),a major oil and fruit crop of the Arecaceae family,is extensively cultivated across the Asia—Pacific region.Despite its agricultural importance,genome assembly in coconut remains challenging due to its large genome size and high proportion of repetitive sequences.Allele-specific expression(ASE)plays a key role in regulating plant development and evolution,yet research on ASE in coconut is limited(Shao et al.,2019;Li et al.,2021;Zhang et al.,2021;Hu et al.,2022).Among phenotypic traits,fruit color is especially important as an indicator of maturity,guiding harvest timing and post-harvest processes(Kapoor et al.,2022).While prior studies have explored various coconut traits such as salt tolerance,fiber content,and plant height(Wang et al.,2021;Yang et al.,2021),investigations into ASE and fruit color remain scarce.展开更多
Lycium ruthenicum(black goji)is a medicinal plant native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(Cao et al.,2021),known for its high anthocyanin content(Avula et al.,2023)in fruit.In contrast,the white and purple variants contai...Lycium ruthenicum(black goji)is a medicinal plant native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(Cao et al.,2021),known for its high anthocyanin content(Avula et al.,2023)in fruit.In contrast,the white and purple variants contain little anthocyanin(Zong et al.,2019).The evolutionary relationship of the variants and the genetic basis underlying their color differentiation has rarely been well studied at the whole genome level(Li et al.,2024).In this study,we present a near-complete genome assembly of L.ruthenicum,providing a valuable resource for investigating its evolutionary relationships with other Lycium species and fruit color variants.Through integrated genomic,transcriptomic,and functional analyses,we identify a key structural variation of AN1,a bHLH transcription factor essential for anthocyanin biosynthesis,which underlies the formation of white and purple goji in L.ruthenicum.展开更多
Chinese plum(Prunus salicina Lindl.)originates from China and makes a large contribution to the global production of plums.The P.salicina‘Wushancuili'has a green coloration and high fruit quality and is economica...Chinese plum(Prunus salicina Lindl.)originates from China and makes a large contribution to the global production of plums.The P.salicina‘Wushancuili'has a green coloration and high fruit quality and is economically important in eliminating poverty and protecting ecology in the Yangtze River Three Gorges Reservoir.However,rain-induced cracking(rain-cracking,literally skin cracking caused by rain)is a limitation to‘Wushancuili'fruit production and causes severe losses.This study reported a high-quality‘Wushancuili'genome assembly consisting of a 302.17-Mb sequence with eight pseudo-chromosomes and a contig N50 of 23.59 Mb through the combination of Illumina sequencing,Pacific Biosciences HiFiⅢsequencing,and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture technology.A total of 25109 protein-coding genes are predicted and 54.17%of the genome is composed of repetitive sequences.‘Wushancuili'underwent a remarkable orthoselection during evolution.Gene identification revealed that loss-of-function in four core MYB10 genes results in the anthocyanin deficiency and absence of red color,revealing the green coloration due to the residual high chlorophyll in fruit skin.Besides,the occurrence of cracking is assumed to be closely associated with cell wall modification and frequently rain-induced pathogen enrichment through transcriptomic analysis.The loss of MYB10 genes might render fruit more susceptible to pathogen-mediated cracking by weakening the epidermal strength and reactive oxygen species(ROS)scavenging.Our findings provided fundamental knowledge regarding fruit coloration and rain-cracking and will facilitate genetic improvement and cultivation management in Chinese plums.展开更多
An attempt was made to observe the effect of pre-harvest bagging with spun-bound fabric bags on color and quality of Delicious apple. Bagging was done about a month before harvesting and removed 3-day before harvestin...An attempt was made to observe the effect of pre-harvest bagging with spun-bound fabric bags on color and quality of Delicious apple. Bagging was done about a month before harvesting and removed 3-day before harvesting. Bagged and non-bagged fruits were stored at 2℃ ± 1℃ and 90%-95% RH. Observations were recorded on color and fruit quality attributes such as total phenolics, AOX activity, fruit Ca contents, LOX activity, SSC and ascorbic acid contents at harvest and during storage. Our studies have revealed that bagged fruits have better color development (Hunter “a” = 52) than non-bagged fruits at harvest (Hunter “a” = 38), which declined slightly during storage. Similarly, at harvest, bagged fruits contained high amounts of Ca (5.38 mg/100g) and total phenolics (9.3 mg GAE/100gpulp) exhibited higher AOX activity (12.6 μmoles Trolox g-1), and had better SSC and ascorbic acid contents than non-bagged fruits, and there was a decline in all recorded parameters during storage. Bagged fruits exhibited lower LOX activity (1.38 μmoles min-1 g-1 FW) at harvest than non-bagged fruits (2.14 μmoles min-1 g-1 FW), indicating that non-bagged fruits were more senescent than bagged fruits. Further, LOX activity increased during storage both in bagged and non-bagged apples but increase in LOX activity was slower in bagged apples than in non-bagged apples.展开更多
Anthocyanins play a crucial role in shaping the visual appeal and nutritional quality of fruits.Previous research on anthocyanin biosynthesis in sweet cherry(Prunus avium L.)has primarily relied on single-omics approa...Anthocyanins play a crucial role in shaping the visual appeal and nutritional quality of fruits.Previous research on anthocyanin biosynthesis in sweet cherry(Prunus avium L.)has primarily relied on single-omics approaches or focused on a limited range of metabolites,leaving the regulatory mechanisms and dynamic metabolism of anthocyanins during ripening inadequately characterized.This study integrated anthocyanin-targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics to identify key anthocyanins in sweet cherry and construct a transcriptional regulatory network for anthocyanin biosynthesis.A novel bHLH transcription factor,Prunus avium bHLH transcription factor 102(PavbHLH102),was identified,and its role in regulating cyanidin levels was validated through overexpression and silencing experiments.Both in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that PavbHLH102 activates key anthocyanin biosynthetic genes,including PavF3H,PavDFR,and PavUFGT,thereby enhancing fruit coloration.Notably,PavF3′H upregulation significantly increased cyanidin accumulation.This study provides new insights into anthocyanin regulation in sweet cherry and offers valuable resources for improving fruit quality.展开更多
Carotenoid biosynthesis is closely associated with abscisic acid(ABA)during the ripening process of non-climacteric fruits,but the regulatory mechanism that links ABA signaling to carotenoid metabolism remains largely...Carotenoid biosynthesis is closely associated with abscisic acid(ABA)during the ripening process of non-climacteric fruits,but the regulatory mechanism that links ABA signaling to carotenoid metabolism remains largely unclear.Here,we identified two master regulators of ABA-mediated citrus fruit coloration,CsERF110 and CsERF53,which activate the expression of carotenoid metabolism genes(CsGGPPS,CsPSY,CsPDS,CsCRTISO,CsLCYB2,CsLCYE,CsHYD,CsZEP,and CsNCED2)to facilitate carotenoid accumulation.Further investigations showed that CsERF110 not only activates the expression of CsERF53 by binding to its promoter but also interacts with CsERF53 to form the transcriptional regulatory module CsERF110-CsERF53.We also discovered a positive feedback regulatory loop between the ABA signal and carotenoid metabolism regulated by the transcriptional regulatory module CsERF110-CsERF53.Our results reveal that the CsERF110-CsERF53 module responds to ABA signaling,thereby orchestrating citrus fruit coloration.Considering the importance of carotenoid content for citrus and many other carotenoid-rich crops,the revelation of molecular mechanisms that underlie ABA-mediated carotenoid biosynthesis in plants will facilitate the development of transgenic/gene-editing approaches,further contributing to improving the quality of citrus and other carotenoid-rich crops.展开更多
One of the main hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of fruit color deals with a preference of avian frugivores for specific colors,mainly black and red,which are the most common fruit colors in many of the st...One of the main hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of fruit color deals with a preference of avian frugivores for specific colors,mainly black and red,which are the most common fruit colors in many of the studied habitats.I analyzed fruit color preferences by wild birds belonging to 2 species of the highly frugivorous genus Turdus(Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula Linnaeus,1758 and Redwing Turdus iliacus Linnaeus,1758)by means of captivity experiments with artificial fruits.Despite important within-individual(i.e.temporal)and among-individual variability,consistent patterns of species-specific color preferences emerged.Eurasian Blackbirds tended to prefer red over blue,green and black,whereas Redwings seemed to prefer black over the rest.Green was systematically avoided by both species,suggesting that it might signal unripeness of fruits.Both preferred colors have been previously reported as the most common among fleshy-fruited plants.The high variability,both within and between individuals,in preferences suggests that they can be subject to changes through experience and learning and,therefore,are not likely to drive the evolution of fruit color.The main differences between both species could be related to the most common fruit color they fed upon during the last months before capture.展开更多
Aims Fruit color polymorphisms are widespread in plants,but what maintains them is largely unclear.One hypothesis is that some morphs are preferred by dispersers while others have higher pre-or postdispersal fitness.T...Aims Fruit color polymorphisms are widespread in plants,but what maintains them is largely unclear.One hypothesis is that some morphs are preferred by dispersers while others have higher pre-or postdispersal fitness.This leads to the prediction that fruit color morphs will differ in pre-or postdispersal fitness.Methods We compared genetic and clonal diversity,mating system,morphological traits that might be associated with resistance to freezing,and germination,survival and seed production of progeny of the red and white fruit morphs in a population of a diploid,wild strawberry,Fragaria pentaphylla,from south-central China.Important Findings The red morph was much more abundant than the white but did not show higher genetic diversity as measured by observed and effective numbers of alleles,Shannon information index,or expected or observed heterozygosities.AMOVA showed that most of the genetic variation in the population was within rather than between morphs.Morphs did not differ in mating system parameters,and no significant biparental inbreeding was found in either morph.Gene flow between two morphs was high(N_(m)=6.89).Seeds of the red morph germinated about 2 days earlier and had a 40%higher rate of germination than those of the white morph,but survival of seedlings and seed production by surviving offspring did not differ between morphs.The whole postdispersal fitness of the red morph was about two times higher than that of the white morph.Red morphs had hairier petioles but not more surface wax on leaves.Overall,results showed partial evidence for difference in pre-and postdispersal fitness between fruit color morphs in F.pentaphylla.Differences in fitness independent of dispersal may thus partially account for fruit color polymorphism in all cases.展开更多
The fruit peel color is a crucial trait of cucumber.To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying cucumber peel coloration,we compared the UPLC-ESI-MS/MS-based flavonoid metabolomic and RNA sequencing-based...The fruit peel color is a crucial trait of cucumber.To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying cucumber peel coloration,we compared the UPLC-ESI-MS/MS-based flavonoid metabolomic and RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic profiling of the brown peeled cucumber line‘PW’at six developmental stages.A total of 210 flavonoid metabolites were identified.Of which,117 flavonoid metabolites were differentially accumulated.In this study,weighted gene co-expression network analysis combined with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed key genes coding for seven enzymes and eight transcription factors(TFs)associated with flavonoid biosynthesis.Among them,the R2R3MYB CsaV3_4G001130 is the best candidate gene that is responsible for controlling mature fruit colors in cucumber.Sanger sequencing revealed one nonsynonymous SNP in the exon of CsaV3_4G001130 among the selected 11 cucumber lines,which introduced a premature stop codon,generating a truncated protein in pale yellow or creamy peeled fruits.Yeast two-hybrid assays showed a direct interaction of CsaV3_4G001130 with the bHLH TF CsaV3_1G002260 and the WD40 protein CsaV3_5G001800.However,the interactions were influenced by the nonsynonymous SNP we identified.Our finding revealed that the integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis further demonstrated that the abundance of some pigmented flavonoids(especially anthocyanins and chalcones)contributed to the coloration of‘PW’fruits.These findings pave the way for elucidation of flavonoid biosynthesis and improvement of cucumber peel color in the future.展开更多
Heat and acid treatments were reported to be a promising substitute for SO2 fumigation in color protection of postharvest lychee （Litchi chinensis） fruits, but the mechanism was not clear. In the present study, hot ...Heat and acid treatments were reported to be a promising substitute for SO2 fumigation in color protection of postharvest lychee （Litchi chinensis） fruits, but the mechanism was not clear. In the present study, hot water （70℃） dipping followed by immersion in 2% HC1 （heat-acid） substantially protected the red color of the fruit during storage at 25℃ and inhibited anthocyanin degradation while hot water dipping alone （heat） led to rapidly browning and about 90% loss in anthocyanin content. The pH values in the pericarp of the heat-acid treated fruit dropped to 3.2, while the values maintained around 5.0 in the heat-treated and control fruit. No significantly different pH values were detected among the arils of heat-acid, heat treated and control fruit. Heat-acid treatment dramatically reduced the activities of anthocyanin degradation enzyme （ADE）, peroxidase （POD） and polyphenol oxidase in the pericarp. A marked reduction in LcPOD gene expression was also detected in heat-acid treated fruit, in contrast, induction was found in heat treated fruit. The pericarp of heat-acid treated fruit exhibited significantly lower respiration rate but faster water loss than that of the untreated or heat treated fruit. Taken together, heat treatment triggered quick browning and anthocyanin loss in lychee fruit, while heat-acid treatment protected the fruit color by a great reduction in the activities/gene expression of anthocyanin degradation enzymes and acidification of lychee pericarp.展开更多
Modeling of fruit morphological formation in melon is important for realizing virtual and digital plant growth.The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in patterns of fruit growth characters during ...Modeling of fruit morphological formation in melon is important for realizing virtual and digital plant growth.The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in patterns of fruit growth characters during plant development.In cultivar experiments,a high-resolution wireless vision sensor network has been developed to realize non-contact automatic uninterrupted measurement of the fruit shape micro-change （fruit size,color,and net）.Results showed that the fruit swelling process （vertical and horizontal diameters） exhibited a slow-rapid-slow pattern,which could be well described with a logistic curve against growing degree days （GDD）;fruit color changes based on the RGB values could be represented by quadratic relationship to cumulative GDD;the fruit net changes over growth progress could be partitioned into three phases according to the time interval.The first phase was from 1 to 30 days after pollination （DAP）,in which the vertical stripe appeared at fruit middle part and the horizontal stripe at fruit petiole and hilum part as well;the second phase was from 30 to 40 DAP,the horizontal stripe occurred at fruit middle part and the net was formed;the third phase was the process started from 40 DAP,the netted breadth and thickness were gradually increased.The model was validated with the independent data from the experiment,and the mean RMSE （root mean square error） of fruit were 0.36 and 0.28 cm for vertical and horizontal diameters,11.9 for fruit color,and 0.45 cm for stripe length and diameter at varied GDD,respectively.This work is beneficial to a reliable foundation for study the relationship between morphological formation and physiological change of the melon fruit internally and then realize the intelligent precision management to improve the yield and quality of greenhouse melon production.展开更多
The flesh color of pummelo(Citrus maxima)fruits is highly diverse and largely depends on the level of carotenoids,which are beneficial to human health.It is vital to investigate the regulatory network of carotenoid bi...The flesh color of pummelo(Citrus maxima)fruits is highly diverse and largely depends on the level of carotenoids,which are beneficial to human health.It is vital to investigate the regulatory network of carotenoid biosynthesis to improve the carotenoid content in pummelo.However,the molecular mechanism underlying carotenoid accumulation in pummelo is not fully understood.In this study,we identified a novel histone methyltransferase gene,CgSDG40,involved in carotenoid regulation by analyzing the flesh transcriptome of typical white-fleshed pummelo,red-fleshed pummelo and extreme-colored F1 hybrids from a segregated pummelo population.Expression of CgSDG40 corresponded to flesh color change and was highly coexpressed with CgPSY1.Interestingly,CgSDG40 and CgPSY1 are located physically adjacent to each other on the chromosome in opposite directions,sharing a partially overlapping promoter region.Subcellular localization analysis indicated that CgSDG40 localizes to the nucleus.Overexpression of CgSDG40 significantly increased the total carotenoid content in citrus calli relative to that in wild type.In addition,expression of CgPSY1 was significantly activated in overexpression lines relative to wild type.Taken together,our findings reveal a novel histone methyltransferase regulator,CgSDG40,involved in the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in citrus and provide new strategies for molecular design breeding and genetic improvement of fruit color and nutritional quality.展开更多
基金supported by Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund(CATAS-Nos.1630152023007,1630152023011,1630152023012,1630152023013)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32071805).
文摘Coconut(Cocos nucifera L.),a major oil and fruit crop of the Arecaceae family,is extensively cultivated across the Asia—Pacific region.Despite its agricultural importance,genome assembly in coconut remains challenging due to its large genome size and high proportion of repetitive sequences.Allele-specific expression(ASE)plays a key role in regulating plant development and evolution,yet research on ASE in coconut is limited(Shao et al.,2019;Li et al.,2021;Zhang et al.,2021;Hu et al.,2022).Among phenotypic traits,fruit color is especially important as an indicator of maturity,guiding harvest timing and post-harvest processes(Kapoor et al.,2022).While prior studies have explored various coconut traits such as salt tolerance,fiber content,and plant height(Wang et al.,2021;Yang et al.,2021),investigations into ASE and fruit color remain scarce.
基金supported by the Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding[2023-1-1].
文摘Lycium ruthenicum(black goji)is a medicinal plant native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(Cao et al.,2021),known for its high anthocyanin content(Avula et al.,2023)in fruit.In contrast,the white and purple variants contain little anthocyanin(Zong et al.,2019).The evolutionary relationship of the variants and the genetic basis underlying their color differentiation has rarely been well studied at the whole genome level(Li et al.,2024).In this study,we present a near-complete genome assembly of L.ruthenicum,providing a valuable resource for investigating its evolutionary relationships with other Lycium species and fruit color variants.Through integrated genomic,transcriptomic,and functional analyses,we identify a key structural variation of AN1,a bHLH transcription factor essential for anthocyanin biosynthesis,which underlies the formation of white and purple goji in L.ruthenicum.
基金financially supported by the Construction Program for Chongqing's Distinctive“Wushancuili”Industry(Grant No.4322200370)Strategic Cooperation Project of Chongqing Municipality and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(Grant No.4322300181)Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities-Talent induction project(Grant Nos.SWU-KR22001,SWU-KQ22070)。
文摘Chinese plum(Prunus salicina Lindl.)originates from China and makes a large contribution to the global production of plums.The P.salicina‘Wushancuili'has a green coloration and high fruit quality and is economically important in eliminating poverty and protecting ecology in the Yangtze River Three Gorges Reservoir.However,rain-induced cracking(rain-cracking,literally skin cracking caused by rain)is a limitation to‘Wushancuili'fruit production and causes severe losses.This study reported a high-quality‘Wushancuili'genome assembly consisting of a 302.17-Mb sequence with eight pseudo-chromosomes and a contig N50 of 23.59 Mb through the combination of Illumina sequencing,Pacific Biosciences HiFiⅢsequencing,and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture technology.A total of 25109 protein-coding genes are predicted and 54.17%of the genome is composed of repetitive sequences.‘Wushancuili'underwent a remarkable orthoselection during evolution.Gene identification revealed that loss-of-function in four core MYB10 genes results in the anthocyanin deficiency and absence of red color,revealing the green coloration due to the residual high chlorophyll in fruit skin.Besides,the occurrence of cracking is assumed to be closely associated with cell wall modification and frequently rain-induced pathogen enrichment through transcriptomic analysis.The loss of MYB10 genes might render fruit more susceptible to pathogen-mediated cracking by weakening the epidermal strength and reactive oxygen species(ROS)scavenging.Our findings provided fundamental knowledge regarding fruit coloration and rain-cracking and will facilitate genetic improvement and cultivation management in Chinese plums.
文摘An attempt was made to observe the effect of pre-harvest bagging with spun-bound fabric bags on color and quality of Delicious apple. Bagging was done about a month before harvesting and removed 3-day before harvesting. Bagged and non-bagged fruits were stored at 2℃ ± 1℃ and 90%-95% RH. Observations were recorded on color and fruit quality attributes such as total phenolics, AOX activity, fruit Ca contents, LOX activity, SSC and ascorbic acid contents at harvest and during storage. Our studies have revealed that bagged fruits have better color development (Hunter “a” = 52) than non-bagged fruits at harvest (Hunter “a” = 38), which declined slightly during storage. Similarly, at harvest, bagged fruits contained high amounts of Ca (5.38 mg/100g) and total phenolics (9.3 mg GAE/100gpulp) exhibited higher AOX activity (12.6 μmoles Trolox g-1), and had better SSC and ascorbic acid contents than non-bagged fruits, and there was a decline in all recorded parameters during storage. Bagged fruits exhibited lower LOX activity (1.38 μmoles min-1 g-1 FW) at harvest than non-bagged fruits (2.14 μmoles min-1 g-1 FW), indicating that non-bagged fruits were more senescent than bagged fruits. Further, LOX activity increased during storage both in bagged and non-bagged apples but increase in LOX activity was slower in bagged apples than in non-bagged apples.
基金funding from the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province,China(Grant Nos.2025ZNSFSC1100,2024NSFSC0324)the National Key Research and Development Project(Grant No.2017YFC0505104)+2 种基金the Sichuan Agricultural University Dual Support Plan Special Project(Grant No.2024ZYTS020)the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program(Grade B)of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.GZB20250863)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2025M773740).
文摘Anthocyanins play a crucial role in shaping the visual appeal and nutritional quality of fruits.Previous research on anthocyanin biosynthesis in sweet cherry(Prunus avium L.)has primarily relied on single-omics approaches or focused on a limited range of metabolites,leaving the regulatory mechanisms and dynamic metabolism of anthocyanins during ripening inadequately characterized.This study integrated anthocyanin-targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics to identify key anthocyanins in sweet cherry and construct a transcriptional regulatory network for anthocyanin biosynthesis.A novel bHLH transcription factor,Prunus avium bHLH transcription factor 102(PavbHLH102),was identified,and its role in regulating cyanidin levels was validated through overexpression and silencing experiments.Both in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that PavbHLH102 activates key anthocyanin biosynthetic genes,including PavF3H,PavDFR,and PavUFGT,thereby enhancing fruit coloration.Notably,PavF3′H upregulation significantly increased cyanidin accumulation.This study provides new insights into anthocyanin regulation in sweet cherry and offers valuable resources for improving fruit quality.
基金National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFD2300600)National Natural Science Foundation of China(no.31930095)National Modern Agricultural(Citrus)Technology Systems of China(no.CARS-27).
文摘Carotenoid biosynthesis is closely associated with abscisic acid(ABA)during the ripening process of non-climacteric fruits,but the regulatory mechanism that links ABA signaling to carotenoid metabolism remains largely unclear.Here,we identified two master regulators of ABA-mediated citrus fruit coloration,CsERF110 and CsERF53,which activate the expression of carotenoid metabolism genes(CsGGPPS,CsPSY,CsPDS,CsCRTISO,CsLCYB2,CsLCYE,CsHYD,CsZEP,and CsNCED2)to facilitate carotenoid accumulation.Further investigations showed that CsERF110 not only activates the expression of CsERF53 by binding to its promoter but also interacts with CsERF53 to form the transcriptional regulatory module CsERF110-CsERF53.We also discovered a positive feedback regulatory loop between the ABA signal and carotenoid metabolism regulated by the transcriptional regulatory module CsERF110-CsERF53.Our results reveal that the CsERF110-CsERF53 module responds to ABA signaling,thereby orchestrating citrus fruit coloration.Considering the importance of carotenoid content for citrus and many other carotenoid-rich crops,the revelation of molecular mechanisms that underlie ABA-mediated carotenoid biosynthesis in plants will facilitate the development of transgenic/gene-editing approaches,further contributing to improving the quality of citrus and other carotenoid-rich crops.
文摘One of the main hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of fruit color deals with a preference of avian frugivores for specific colors,mainly black and red,which are the most common fruit colors in many of the studied habitats.I analyzed fruit color preferences by wild birds belonging to 2 species of the highly frugivorous genus Turdus(Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula Linnaeus,1758 and Redwing Turdus iliacus Linnaeus,1758)by means of captivity experiments with artificial fruits.Despite important within-individual(i.e.temporal)and among-individual variability,consistent patterns of species-specific color preferences emerged.Eurasian Blackbirds tended to prefer red over blue,green and black,whereas Redwings seemed to prefer black over the rest.Green was systematically avoided by both species,suggesting that it might signal unripeness of fruits.Both preferred colors have been previously reported as the most common among fleshy-fruited plants.The high variability,both within and between individuals,in preferences suggests that they can be subject to changes through experience and learning and,therefore,are not likely to drive the evolution of fruit color.The main differences between both species could be related to the most common fruit color they fed upon during the last months before capture.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31261120580).
文摘Aims Fruit color polymorphisms are widespread in plants,but what maintains them is largely unclear.One hypothesis is that some morphs are preferred by dispersers while others have higher pre-or postdispersal fitness.This leads to the prediction that fruit color morphs will differ in pre-or postdispersal fitness.Methods We compared genetic and clonal diversity,mating system,morphological traits that might be associated with resistance to freezing,and germination,survival and seed production of progeny of the red and white fruit morphs in a population of a diploid,wild strawberry,Fragaria pentaphylla,from south-central China.Important Findings The red morph was much more abundant than the white but did not show higher genetic diversity as measured by observed and effective numbers of alleles,Shannon information index,or expected or observed heterozygosities.AMOVA showed that most of the genetic variation in the population was within rather than between morphs.Morphs did not differ in mating system parameters,and no significant biparental inbreeding was found in either morph.Gene flow between two morphs was high(N_(m)=6.89).Seeds of the red morph germinated about 2 days earlier and had a 40%higher rate of germination than those of the white morph,but survival of seedlings and seed production by surviving offspring did not differ between morphs.The whole postdispersal fitness of the red morph was about two times higher than that of the white morph.Red morphs had hairier petioles but not more surface wax on leaves.Overall,results showed partial evidence for difference in pre-and postdispersal fitness between fruit color morphs in F.pentaphylla.Differences in fitness independent of dispersal may thus partially account for fruit color polymorphism in all cases.
基金The‘JBGS’Project of Seed Industry Revitalization in Jiangsu Province[Grant No.JBGS(2021)018]the Jiangsu Agricultural Innovation of New Cultivars(Grant No.PZCZ201720)+2 种基金the Jiangsu Agriculture Science and Technology Innovation Fund[Grant No.CX(20)3103]the Open Project Program of Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement(Grant No.K2020030)the Open Project Program of Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety,the Ministry of Education of China(Grant No.JILAR-KF202001).
文摘The fruit peel color is a crucial trait of cucumber.To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying cucumber peel coloration,we compared the UPLC-ESI-MS/MS-based flavonoid metabolomic and RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic profiling of the brown peeled cucumber line‘PW’at six developmental stages.A total of 210 flavonoid metabolites were identified.Of which,117 flavonoid metabolites were differentially accumulated.In this study,weighted gene co-expression network analysis combined with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed key genes coding for seven enzymes and eight transcription factors(TFs)associated with flavonoid biosynthesis.Among them,the R2R3MYB CsaV3_4G001130 is the best candidate gene that is responsible for controlling mature fruit colors in cucumber.Sanger sequencing revealed one nonsynonymous SNP in the exon of CsaV3_4G001130 among the selected 11 cucumber lines,which introduced a premature stop codon,generating a truncated protein in pale yellow or creamy peeled fruits.Yeast two-hybrid assays showed a direct interaction of CsaV3_4G001130 with the bHLH TF CsaV3_1G002260 and the WD40 protein CsaV3_5G001800.However,the interactions were influenced by the nonsynonymous SNP we identified.Our finding revealed that the integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis further demonstrated that the abundance of some pigmented flavonoids(especially anthocyanins and chalcones)contributed to the coloration of‘PW’fruits.These findings pave the way for elucidation of flavonoid biosynthesis and improvement of cucumber peel color in the future.
基金supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (2013CB127105)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30671466)+1 种基金China Litchi and Logan Research System (CARS-33-14)Guangdong Fruit Research System,China (2009-356)
文摘Heat and acid treatments were reported to be a promising substitute for SO2 fumigation in color protection of postharvest lychee （Litchi chinensis） fruits, but the mechanism was not clear. In the present study, hot water （70℃） dipping followed by immersion in 2% HC1 （heat-acid） substantially protected the red color of the fruit during storage at 25℃ and inhibited anthocyanin degradation while hot water dipping alone （heat） led to rapidly browning and about 90% loss in anthocyanin content. The pH values in the pericarp of the heat-acid treated fruit dropped to 3.2, while the values maintained around 5.0 in the heat-treated and control fruit. No significantly different pH values were detected among the arils of heat-acid, heat treated and control fruit. Heat-acid treatment dramatically reduced the activities of anthocyanin degradation enzyme （ADE）, peroxidase （POD） and polyphenol oxidase in the pericarp. A marked reduction in LcPOD gene expression was also detected in heat-acid treated fruit, in contrast, induction was found in heat treated fruit. The pericarp of heat-acid treated fruit exhibited significantly lower respiration rate but faster water loss than that of the untreated or heat treated fruit. Taken together, heat treatment triggered quick browning and anthocyanin loss in lychee fruit, while heat-acid treatment protected the fruit color by a great reduction in the activities/gene expression of anthocyanin degradation enzymes and acidification of lychee pericarp.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31000669)the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project,China (B209)
文摘Modeling of fruit morphological formation in melon is important for realizing virtual and digital plant growth.The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in patterns of fruit growth characters during plant development.In cultivar experiments,a high-resolution wireless vision sensor network has been developed to realize non-contact automatic uninterrupted measurement of the fruit shape micro-change （fruit size,color,and net）.Results showed that the fruit swelling process （vertical and horizontal diameters） exhibited a slow-rapid-slow pattern,which could be well described with a logistic curve against growing degree days （GDD）;fruit color changes based on the RGB values could be represented by quadratic relationship to cumulative GDD;the fruit net changes over growth progress could be partitioned into three phases according to the time interval.The first phase was from 1 to 30 days after pollination （DAP）,in which the vertical stripe appeared at fruit middle part and the horizontal stripe at fruit petiole and hilum part as well;the second phase was from 30 to 40 DAP,the horizontal stripe occurred at fruit middle part and the net was formed;the third phase was the process started from 40 DAP,the netted breadth and thickness were gradually increased.The model was validated with the independent data from the experiment,and the mean RMSE （root mean square error） of fruit were 0.36 and 0.28 cm for vertical and horizontal diameters,11.9 for fruit color,and 0.45 cm for stripe length and diameter at varied GDD,respectively.This work is beneficial to a reliable foundation for study the relationship between morphological formation and physiological change of the melon fruit internally and then realize the intelligent precision management to improve the yield and quality of greenhouse melon production.
基金supported by the Major Special Projects and Key R&D Projects in Yunnan Province,China(202102AE090054)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31925034)+1 种基金the Foundation of Hubei Hongshan Laboratory granted to Dr.Qiang Xu,China(2021hszd016)the Key Project of Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China(2021CFA017)。
文摘The flesh color of pummelo(Citrus maxima)fruits is highly diverse and largely depends on the level of carotenoids,which are beneficial to human health.It is vital to investigate the regulatory network of carotenoid biosynthesis to improve the carotenoid content in pummelo.However,the molecular mechanism underlying carotenoid accumulation in pummelo is not fully understood.In this study,we identified a novel histone methyltransferase gene,CgSDG40,involved in carotenoid regulation by analyzing the flesh transcriptome of typical white-fleshed pummelo,red-fleshed pummelo and extreme-colored F1 hybrids from a segregated pummelo population.Expression of CgSDG40 corresponded to flesh color change and was highly coexpressed with CgPSY1.Interestingly,CgSDG40 and CgPSY1 are located physically adjacent to each other on the chromosome in opposite directions,sharing a partially overlapping promoter region.Subcellular localization analysis indicated that CgSDG40 localizes to the nucleus.Overexpression of CgSDG40 significantly increased the total carotenoid content in citrus calli relative to that in wild type.In addition,expression of CgPSY1 was significantly activated in overexpression lines relative to wild type.Taken together,our findings reveal a novel histone methyltransferase regulator,CgSDG40,involved in the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in citrus and provide new strategies for molecular design breeding and genetic improvement of fruit color and nutritional quality.
