Multiomics analyses of the effects of LED white light on the ripening of apricot fruits

Chunmei Bai; Yanyan Zheng; Christopher Brian Watkins; Lili Ma; Yuanye Jiang; Shaoqing Chen; Hongwei Wang; Xuelian He; Lichun Han; Xinyuan Zhou; Qing Wang; Caie Wu; Jinhua Zuo

doi:10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.008

Multiomics analyses of the effects of LED white light on the ripening of apricot fruits

J Adv Res. 2024 Jan 9:S2090-1232(24)00008-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.008. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chunmei Bai¹, Yanyan Zheng², Christopher Brian Watkins³, Lili Ma⁴, Yuanye Jiang⁴, Shaoqing Chen⁵, Hongwei Wang⁵, Xuelian He⁵, Lichun Han⁵, Xinyuan Zhou⁵, Qing Wang⁶, Caie Wu⁷, Jinhua Zuo⁸

Affiliations

¹ College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China; Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China. Electronic address: 13844206935@163.com.
² Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China. Electronic address: zhengyanyan@iapn.org.cn.
³ School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Cornell University, NY 14853, USA.
⁴ College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China; Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China.
⁵ Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China.
⁶ Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China. Electronic address: wangqing@iapn.org.cn.
⁷ College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China. Electronic address: wucaie@njfu.edu.cn.
⁸ Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China. Electronic address: zuojinhua@126.com.

PMID: 38199454
DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.008

Abstract

Introduction: Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) fruits are highly perishable and prone to quality deterioration during storage and transportation.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of LED white light treatment on postharvest ripening of fruits using metabolomics, transcriptomics, and ATAC-Seq analysis.

Methods: Fruits were exposed to 5 μmol m^-2 s^-1 LED white light for 12 h followed by 12 h of darkness at 20 °C daily for 12 days. The effects of the treatments on the physiological and nutritional quality of the fruits were evaluated. These data were combined with transcriptomic, metabolomic, and ATAC-Seq data from fruits taken on 8 d of treatment to provide insight into the potential mechanism by which LED treatment delays ripening.

Results: LED treatment activated pathways involved in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism and flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Specifically, LED treatment increased the expression of UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (USP), L-ascorbate peroxidase (AO), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), chalcone synthase (CHS), and caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCOAOMT1), leading to the accumulation of caffeoyl quinic acid, epigallocatechin, and dihydroquercetin and the activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. LED treatment also affected the expression of genes associated with plant hormone signal transduction, fruit texture and color transformation, and antioxidant activity. The notable genes affected by LED treatment included 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO), hexokinase (HK), lipoxygenase (LOX), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), endoglucanase (CEL), various transcription factors (TCP, MYB, EFR), and peroxidase (POD). ATAC-Seq analysis further revealed that LED treatment primarily regulated phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.

Conclusion: The results obtained in this study provide insights into the effects of LED light exposure on apricot fruits ripening. LEDs offer a promising approach for extending the shelf life of other fruits and vegetables.

Keywords: ATAC-Seq; Light-emitting diodes; Metabolomics; Transcriptomics.