Abstract
In order to investigate the physiological role of ethylene in the initiation and subsequent progression of softening, pear fruit were treated with propylene, an analogue of ethylene or 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a gaseous inhibitor of ethylene action at the preclimacteric or ripening stages. The propylene treatment at the pre-ripe stage stimulated ethylene production and flesh softening while the 1-MCP treatment at the same stage markedly retarded the initiation of the ripening-related events. Moreover, 1-MCP treatment after the initiation of ripening markedly suppressed the subsequent flesh softening and ethylene production. These results clearly indicate that ethylene is not merely a by-product, but plays a crucial role in both the initiation and maintenance of regulating the softening process during ripening. The observations also suggest that ethylene in ripening is regulated entirely in an autocatalytic manner. The mRNA accumulation of pear polygalacturonases (PG) genes, PC-PG1 and PC-PG2, was in parallel with the pattern of fruit softening in both propylene and 1-MCP treatments. However, the expression pattern of pear endo-1,4-β-D-glucanases (EGase) genes, PC-EG1 and PC-EG2, was not affected in both treatments. The results suggest that ethylene is required for PGs expression even in the late ripening stage, but not for EGases.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 771-779 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Botany |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 383 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2003 |
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Keywords
- 1-methyl-cyclopropene
- Endo-1,4-β--glucanase
- Ethylene
- Pear fruit ripening
- Polygalacturonase
- Softening
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Plant Science
Cite this
Ethylene is required for both the initiation and progression of softening in pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruit. / Hiwasa, Kyoko; Kinugasa, Yuichi; Amano, Satomi; Hashimoto, Akiko; Nakano, Ryohei; Inaba, Akitsugu; Kubo, Yasutaka.
In: Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 54, No. 383, 02.2003, p. 771-779.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ethylene is required for both the initiation and progression of softening in pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruit
AU - Hiwasa, Kyoko
AU - Kinugasa, Yuichi
AU - Amano, Satomi
AU - Hashimoto, Akiko
AU - Nakano, Ryohei
AU - Inaba, Akitsugu
AU - Kubo, Yasutaka
PY - 2003/2
Y1 - 2003/2
N2 - In order to investigate the physiological role of ethylene in the initiation and subsequent progression of softening, pear fruit were treated with propylene, an analogue of ethylene or 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a gaseous inhibitor of ethylene action at the preclimacteric or ripening stages. The propylene treatment at the pre-ripe stage stimulated ethylene production and flesh softening while the 1-MCP treatment at the same stage markedly retarded the initiation of the ripening-related events. Moreover, 1-MCP treatment after the initiation of ripening markedly suppressed the subsequent flesh softening and ethylene production. These results clearly indicate that ethylene is not merely a by-product, but plays a crucial role in both the initiation and maintenance of regulating the softening process during ripening. The observations also suggest that ethylene in ripening is regulated entirely in an autocatalytic manner. The mRNA accumulation of pear polygalacturonases (PG) genes, PC-PG1 and PC-PG2, was in parallel with the pattern of fruit softening in both propylene and 1-MCP treatments. However, the expression pattern of pear endo-1,4-β-D-glucanases (EGase) genes, PC-EG1 and PC-EG2, was not affected in both treatments. The results suggest that ethylene is required for PGs expression even in the late ripening stage, but not for EGases.
AB - In order to investigate the physiological role of ethylene in the initiation and subsequent progression of softening, pear fruit were treated with propylene, an analogue of ethylene or 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a gaseous inhibitor of ethylene action at the preclimacteric or ripening stages. The propylene treatment at the pre-ripe stage stimulated ethylene production and flesh softening while the 1-MCP treatment at the same stage markedly retarded the initiation of the ripening-related events. Moreover, 1-MCP treatment after the initiation of ripening markedly suppressed the subsequent flesh softening and ethylene production. These results clearly indicate that ethylene is not merely a by-product, but plays a crucial role in both the initiation and maintenance of regulating the softening process during ripening. The observations also suggest that ethylene in ripening is regulated entirely in an autocatalytic manner. The mRNA accumulation of pear polygalacturonases (PG) genes, PC-PG1 and PC-PG2, was in parallel with the pattern of fruit softening in both propylene and 1-MCP treatments. However, the expression pattern of pear endo-1,4-β-D-glucanases (EGase) genes, PC-EG1 and PC-EG2, was not affected in both treatments. The results suggest that ethylene is required for PGs expression even in the late ripening stage, but not for EGases.
KW - 1-methyl-cyclopropene
KW - Endo-1,4-β--glucanase
KW - Ethylene
KW - Pear fruit ripening
KW - Polygalacturonase
KW - Softening
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037322257&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037322257&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jxb/erg073
DO - 10.1093/jxb/erg073
M3 - Article
VL - 54
SP - 771
EP - 779
JO - Journal of Experimental Botany
JF - Journal of Experimental Botany
SN - 0022-0957
IS - 383
ER -