RESUMEN

Plastids are cell organelles that, beside other functions, have the capability to store carotenoids in specialized structures, which may vary among the different plant species, tissues or according to the carotenoid complement. Fruits are an important source of carotenoids, and during ripening, chloroplasts differentiate into chromoplasts that are able to accumulate large amounts of carotenoids, rendering then the characteristic fruit coloration. Whereas lycopene or ß-carotene may accumulate as crystal in the chromoplasts of some fruit, other xanthophyll-accumulating fruits differentiate plastoglobuli as a preferred system to enhance carotenoids stability and storage. Visualization of plastid ultrastructure and their transformation during ripening or in fruit of contrasting coloration are fundamental objectives within carotenoids research in fruits. Therefore, in this chapter, we describe a protocol for the visualization and analysis of plastid ultrastructure by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specially designed and adapted to fruit tissues.

Asunto(s)

Carotenoides/metabolismo , Frutas/metabolismo , Frutas/ultraestructura , Transporte Biológico , Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión

RESUMEN

The use of crop wild relative species to improve major crops performance is well established. Hordeum chilense has a high potential as a genetic donor to increase the carotenoid content of wheat. Crosses between the 7Hch H. chilense substitution lines in wheat and the wheat pairing homoeologous1b (ph1b) mutant allowed the development of wheat-H. chilense translocation lines for both 7Hchα and 7Hchß chromosome arms in the wheat background. These translocation lines were characterized by in situ hybridization and using molecular markers. In addition, reverse phase chromatography (HPLC) analysis was carried out to evaluate the carotenoid content and both 7Hchα∙7AL and 7AS∙7Hchß disomic translocation lines. The carotenoid content in 7Hchα∙7AL and 7AS∙7Hchß disomic translocation lines was higher than the wheat-7Hch addition line and double amount of carotenoids than the wheat itself. A proteomic analysis confirmed that the presence of chromosome 7Hch introgressions in wheat scarcely altered the proteomic profile of the wheat flour. The Psy1 (Phytoene Synthase1) gene, which is the first committed step in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, was also cytogenetically mapped on the 7Hchα chromosome arm. These new wheat-H. chilense translocation lines can be used as a powerful tool in wheat breeding programs to enrich the diet in bioactive compounds.

Asunto(s)

Genes de Plantas , Hordeum/genética , Fitomejoramiento , Triticum/genética , Pan , Mapeo Cromosómico , Proteómica , Translocación Genética

RESUMEN

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are secondary metabolites acting as a language for the communication of plants with the environment. In orange fruits, the monoterpene D-limonene accumulates at very high levels in oil glands from the peel. Drastic down-regulation of D-limonene synthase gene expression in the peel of transgenic oranges harboring a D-limonene synthase transgene in antisense (AS) configuration altered the monoterpene profile in oil glands, mainly resulting in reduced accumulation of D-limonene. This led to fruit resistance against Penicillium digitatum (Pd), Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) and other specialized pathogens. Here, we analyze resistance to pathogens in independent AS and empty vector (EV) lines, which have low, medium or high D-limonene concentrations and show that the level of resistance is inversely related to the accumulation of D-limonene in orange peels, thus explaining the need of high D-limonene accumulation in mature oranges in nature for the efficient attraction of specialized microorganism frugivores.

Asunto(s)

Citrus/anatomía & histología , Citrus/microbiología , Ciclohexenos/metabolismo , Resistencia a la Enfermedad , Regulación hacia Abajo , Enfermedades de las Plantas/microbiología , Aceites de Plantas/metabolismo , Terpenos/metabolismo , Citrus/genética , ADN de Plantas/aislamiento & purificación , Resistencia a la Enfermedad/genética , Limoneno , Enfermedades de las Plantas/genética , Plantas Modificadas Genéticamente , ARN sin Sentido/metabolismo , Compuestos Orgánicos Volátiles/análisis

RESUMEN

Citrus fruits are highly consumed worldwide and represent one of the most important sources of ascorbic acid (AsA). However, information about the molecular mechanisms regulating AsA accumulation in Citrus fruit and the effects of environmental factors is scarce. In this study we have investigated the effect of fruit shading on AsA content and the expression of AsA biosynthetic, degrading and recycling genes in fruits of different Citrus species. Immature-green fruits were covered at the end of the cell enlargement phase and AsA concentration in the flavedo declined and remained at low levels as compared with light-exposed fruits. Fruit shading marginally altered the expression of genes from the l-galactose pathway and this effect was variable in the four Citrus species. However, specific isoforms (GalUR8 or GalUR12) from the l-galacturonic acid pathway were significantly repressed paralleling the reduction in AsA concentration. No significant effect of shading was detected in transcription of genes of the myo-inositol and l-gulose pathways as well as recycling and degradation. Collectively, results indicate that light avoidance inhibited accumulation of AsA in the flavedo of Citrus fruits and suggest that the l-galacturonic acid pathway has a relevant contribution to AsA content in this tissue.

Asunto(s)

Ácido Ascórbico/metabolismo , Citrus/metabolismo , Frutas/metabolismo , Luz , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas/efectos de la radiación

RESUMEN

Grapefruits are among the citrus species more sensitive to cold and develop chilling injury symptoms during prolonged postharvest storage at temperatures lower than 8 ℃-10 ℃. The plant hormone ethylene has been described either to protect or potentiate chilling injury development in citrus whereas little is known about transcriptional regulation of ethylene biosynthesis, perception and response during cold storage and how the hormone is regulating its own perception and signaling cascade. Then, the objective of the present study was to explore the transcriptional changes in the expression of ethylene biosynthesis, receptors and response genes during cold storage of the white Marsh and the red Star Ruby grapefruits. The effect of the ethylene action inhibitor, 1-MCP, was evaluated to investigate the involvement of ethylene in the regulation of the genes of its own biosynthesis and perception pathway. Ethylene production was very low at the harvest time in fruits of both varieties and experienced only minor changes during storage. By contrast, inhibition of ethylene perception by 1-MCP markedly induced ethylene production, and this increase was highly stimulated during shelf-life at 20 ℃, as well as transcription of ACS and ACO. These results support the auto-inhibitory regulation of ethylene in grapefruits, which acts mainly at the transcriptional level of ACS and ACO genes. Moreover, ethylene receptor1 and ethylene receptor3 were induced by cold while no clear role of ethylene was observed in the induction of ethylene receptors. However, ethylene appears to be implicated in the transcriptional regulation of ERFs both under cold storage and shelf-life.

Asunto(s)

Citrus paradisi/química , Etilenos/biosíntesis , Calidad de los Alimentos , Almacenamiento de Alimentos , Frutas/química , Pigmentos Biológicos/análisis , Transducción de Señal , Aminoácido Oxidorreductasas/genética , Aminoácido Oxidorreductasas/metabolismo , Citrus paradisi/enzimología , Citrus paradisi/metabolismo , Frío/efectos adversos , Productos Agrícolas/química , Productos Agrícolas/enzimología , Productos Agrícolas/metabolismo , Ciclopropanos/química , Etilenos/agonistas , Conservantes de Alimentos/química , Frutas/enzimología , Frutas/metabolismo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , Isoenzimas/genética , Isoenzimas/metabolismo , Liasas/genética , Liasas/metabolismo , Pigmentos Biológicos/biosíntesis , Proteínas de Plantas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Isoformas de Proteínas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Isoformas de Proteínas/genética , Isoformas de Proteínas/metabolismo , Receptores de Superficie Celular/antagonistas & inhibidores , Receptores de Superficie Celular/genética , Receptores de Superficie Celular/metabolismo , España , Propiedades de Superficie , Regulación hacia Arriba