Identification of genes and metabolic pathways involved in wounding-induced kiwifruit ripening

Abstract

Fruit is constantly challenged by wounding events, inducing accelerated ripening and irreversible metabolic changes. However, cognate mechanisms that regulate this process are little known. To expand our knowledge of ripening metabolism induced by wounding, an artificial-wound global transcriptome investigation combined with metabolite profiling study was conducted in postharvest kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa (A. Chev.) A. Chev. 'Hayward'). Wounding treatment promoted fruit ripening, as demonstrated by changes in fruit firmness, ethylene production and respiration activity determined periodically during a ripening period of 8 d at room temperature. Calcium imaging using fluorescent probe Fluo-3 AM revealed spatial dynamics of Ca²⁺ signaling in the wounding area following 8d ripening. Several sugars including fructose, glucose, and sucrose as well as organic acids such as citric, succinic and galacturonic acid were increased by wounding. Changes of various amino acids in wounded-treated fruit, especially 5-oxoproline and valine along with alternations of soluble alcohols, like myo-inositol were detected. Gene expression analysis of the wounded fruit showed increased expression of genes that are mainly involved in defense response (e.g., AdTLP.1-3, AdPP2C.1-2, AdMALD1), calcium ion binding (e.g., AdCbEFh, AdCLR, AdANX), TCA cycle (e.g., AdMDH.1, AdMDH.2, AdCS), sugars (e.g., AdSUSA.1, AdSPS4, AdABFr), secondary metabolism (e.g., AdPAL.1-3, AdCCR, AdHCT.1-2), lipid processing (e.g., AdGELP.1-4, AdGELP) and pectin degradation (e.g., AdPE.1-2, AdPAE.1-2, AdPG.1-2) as well as in ethylene (AdERF7, AdERF1B, AdACO.1-4) and auxin (AdICE, AdAEFc, AdASII) synthesis and perception. Moreover, genes related to aquaporins, such as AdAQP2, AdAQP4 and AdAQP7 were down-regulated in fruit exposed to wounding. These results demonstrate multiple metabolic points of wounding regulatory control during kiwifruit ripening and provide insights into the molecular basis of wounding-mediated ripening.

Keywords: Gene expression; Kiwifruit; Metabolomics; Postharvest; Ripening; Transcriptomics; Wounding.