Zhu Qianglong, Gao Peng, Liu Shi, Zhu Zicheng, Amanullah Sikandar, Davis Angela R, Luan Feishi
Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticulture Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China.
Horticulture College, Northeast Agricultural University, 59 Mucai Street, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150030, China.
BMC Genomics. 2017 Jan 3;18(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s12864-016-3442-3.
Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] is an economically important crop with an attractive ripe fruit that has colorful flesh. Fruit ripening is a complex, genetically programmed process.
In this study, a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to identify the regulators and pathways that are involved in the fruit ripening of pale-yellow-flesh cultivated watermelon (COS) and red-flesh cultivated watermelon (LSW177). We first identified 797 novel genes to extend the available reference gene set. Second, 3958 genes in COS and 3503 genes in LSW177 showed at least two-fold variation in expression, and a large number of these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during fruit ripening were related to carotenoid biosynthesis, plant hormone pathways, and sugar and cell wall metabolism. Third, we noted a correlation between ripening-associated transcripts and metabolites and the key function of these metabolic pathways during fruit ripening.
The results revealed several ripening-associated actions and provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of watermelon fruit ripening.
西瓜[Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai]是一种经济上重要的作物，其成熟果实具有诱人的外观，果肉颜色丰富。果实成熟是一个复杂的、由基因编程的过程。
在本研究中，进行了比较转录组分析，以鉴定参与浅黄色果肉栽培西瓜（COS）和红色果肉栽培西瓜（LSW177）果实成熟的调控因子和途径。我们首先鉴定了797个新基因，以扩展可用的参考基因集。其次，COS中的3958个基因和LSW177中的3503个基因在表达上显示出至少两倍的差异，并且这些在果实成熟期间差异表达的基因（DEGs）中有大量与类胡萝卜素生物合成、植物激素途径以及糖和细胞壁代谢有关。第三，我们注意到成熟相关转录本和代谢物之间的相关性以及这些代谢途径在果实成熟期间的关键功能。
结果揭示了几种与成熟相关的作用，并为西瓜果实成熟调控的分子机制提供了新的见解。
