Cuticular wax biosynthesis in blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.): Transcript and metabolite changes during ripening and storage affect key fruit quality traits
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PROVIDER: S-EPMC10923646 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Blueberry is well-recognized as a healthy fruit with functionality derived largely from anthocyanin and chlorogenic acid. Despite their importance, no study to date has evaluated the genetic basis of these bioactives in blueberries and their relationship with fruit quality traits. Hence, to fill this gap, a mapping population including 196 F1 individuals was phenotyped for anthocyanin and chlorogenic acid concentration and fruit quality traits (titratable acidity, pH, and total soluble solids) over 3 years and data were used for QTL mapping and correlation analysis. Total soluble solids and chlorogenic acid were positively correlated with glycosylated anthocyanin and total anthocyanin, respectively, indicating that parallel selection for these traits is possible. Across all the traits, a total of 188 QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11 and 12. Notably, four major regions with overlapping major-effect QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 4 and 8, and were responsible for acylation and glycosylation of anthocyanins in a substrate and sugar donor specific manner. Through comparative transcriptome analysis, multiple candidate genes were identified for these QTLs, including glucosyltransferases and acyltransferases. Overall, the study provides the first insights into the genetic basis controlling anthocyanins accumulation and composition, chlorogenic acid and fruit quality traits, and establishes a framework to advance genetic studies and molecular breeding for anthocyanins in blueberry.
| S-EPMC9478557 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundBlueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is a small berry with high economic value. Although cold storage can extend the storage time of blueberry to more than 60 days, it leads to chilling injury (CI) displaying as pedicle pits; and the samples of 0 °C-30 days was the critical point of CI. However, little is known about the mechanism and the molecular basis response to cold stress in blueberry have not been explained definitely. To comprehensively reveal the CI mechanisms in response to cold stress, we performed high-throughput RNA Seq analysis to investigate the gene regulation network in 0d (control) and 30d chilled blueberry. At the same time, the pitting and decay rate, electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA) proline content and GSH content were measured.ResultsTwo cDNA libraries from 0d (control) and 30d chilled samples were constructed and sequenced, generating a total of 35,060 unigenes with an N50 length of 1348 bp. Of these, 1852 were differentially expressed, with 1167 upregulated and 685 downregulated. Forty-five cold-induced transcription factor (TF) families containing 1023 TFs were identified. The DEGs indicated biological processes such as stress responses; cell wall metabolism; abscisic acid, gibberellin, membrane lipid, energy metabolism, cellular components, and molecular functions were significantly responsed to cold storage. The transcriptional level of 40 DEGs were verified by qRT-PCR.ConclusionsThe postharvest cold storage leads serious CI in blueberry, which substantially decreases the quality, storability and consumer acceptance. The MDA content, proline content, EL increased and the GSH content decreased in this chilled process. The biological processes such as stress responses, hormone metabolic processes were significantly affected by CI. Overall, the results obtained here are valuable for preventing CI under cold storage and could help to perfect the lack of the genetic information of non-model plant species.
| S-EPMC7031921 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cuticular wax is the first line of structural defense for plants against external stresses. This study investigated the effects of melatonin (MT) on chemical composition and accumulation profile of wax, as well as fruit quality of rabbiteye blueberry during storage. The results indicated a significant reduction in the overall wax content during storage. Nevertheless, MT effectively delayed the decline, with a higher amount of 9.8% and 15.17% in the treated 'Baldwin' and 'Garden Blue' compared to their respective controls at 21st day of storage. The wax composition significantly varied depending on storage time, MT treatment, and cultivars. Additionally, MT markedly improved the fruit quality of rabbiteye blueberries. Correlation analysis revealed water loss and decay rates were negatively correlated with triterpenoids and fatty acids. Taken together, this study highlights the positive effects of post-harvest MT application on shelf life and fruit quality of blueberry by modifying the wax profile during storage.
| S-EPMC10793084 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Fresh blueberries are very susceptible to mechanical damage, which limits postharvest life and firmness. Softening and susceptibility of cultivars "Duke" and "Brigitta" to developing internal browning (IB) after mechanical impact and subsequent storage was evaluated during a 2-year study (2011/2012, 2012/2013). On each season fruit were carefully hand-picked, segregated into soft (<1.60 N), medium (1.61-1.80 N), and firm (1.81-2.00 N) categories, and then either were dropped (32 cm) onto a hard plastic surface or remained non-dropped. All fruit were kept under refrigerated storage (0°C and 85-88% relative humidity) to assess firmness loss and IB after 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days. In general, regardless of cultivar or season, high variability in fruit firmness was observed within each commercial harvest, and significant differences in IB and softening rates were found. "Duke" exhibited high softening rates, as well as high and significant r2 between firmness and IB, but little differences for dropped vs. non-dropped fruit. "Brigitta," having lesser firmness rates, exhibited almost no relationships between firmness and IB (especially for non-dropped fruit), but marked differences between dropping treatments. Firmness loss and IB development were related to firmness at harvest, soft and firm fruit being the most and least damaged, respectively. Soft fruit were characterized by greater IB development during storage along with high soluble solids/acid ratio, which could be used together with firmness to estimate harvest date and storage potential of fruit. Results of this work suggest that the differences in fruit quality traits at harvest could be related to the time that fruit stay on the plant after turning blue, soft fruit being more advanced in maturity. Finally, the observed differences between segregated categories reinforce the importance of analyzing fruit condition for each sorted group separately.
| S-EPMC5386988 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cuticle composition is an important economic trait in agriculture, as it is the first protective barrier of the plant against environmental conditions. The main goal of this work was to study the role of the cuticular wax in maintaining the postharvest quality of zucchini fruit, by comparing two commercial varieties with contrasting behavior against low temperatures; the cold-tolerant variety 'Natura', and the cold-sensitive 'Sinatra', as well as 'Sinatra' fruit with induced-chilling tolerance through a preconditioning treatment (15°C for 48 h). The freshly-harvested 'Natura' fruit had a well-detectable cuticle with a significant lower permeability and a subset of 15 up-regulated cuticle-related genes. SEM showed that zucchini epicuticular waxes mainly consisted of round-shaped crystals and clusters of them, and areas with more dense crystal deposition were found in fruit of 'Natura' and of preconditioned 'Sinatra'. The cuticular wax load per surface was higher in 'Natura' than in 'Sinatra' fruit at harvest and after 14 days at 4°C. In addition, total cuticular wax load only increased in 'Natura' and preconditioned 'Sinatra' fruit with cold storage. With respect to the chemical composition of the waxes, the most abundant components were alkanes, in both 'Natura' and 'Sinatra', with similar values at harvest. The total alkane content only increased in 'Natura' fruit and in the preconditioned 'Sinatra' fruit after cold storage, whereas the amount of total acids decreased, with the lowest values observed in the fruit that showed less chilling injury (CI) and weight loss. Two esters were detected, and their content also decreased with the storage in both varieties, with a greater reduction observed in the cold-tolerant variety in response to low temperature. Gene expression analysis showed significant differences between varieties, especially in CpCER1-like and CpCER3-like genes, involved in alkane production, as well as in the transcription factors CpWIN1-like and CpFUL1-like, associated with cuticle development and epidermal wax accumulation in other species. These results suggest an important role of the alkane biosynthetic pathway and cuticle morphology in maintaining the postharvest quality of zucchini fruit during the storage at low temperatures.
| S-EPMC8691734 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Published evidence indicates that nearly 60% of blueberry-producing countries experience yield instability. Yield is a complex trait determined by genetic and environmental factors. Here, using physiological and biochemical approaches, we tested the hypothesis that yield instability results from year-to-year environmental variation that limits carbon assimilation, storage and partitioning. The data indicate that fruit development depends primarily on the daily production of non-structural carbohydrates by leaves, and there is no accumulation of a starch buffer to allow continuous ripening under conditions limiting for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis was saturated at moderate light irradiance and this was mainly due to stomatal and biochemical limitations. In a dynamic light environment, photosynthesis was further limited by slow stomatal response to increasing light. Finally, labelling with 13CO2 at specific stages of fruit development revealed a relatively even distribution of newly assimilated carbon between stems, roots and fruits, suggesting that the fruit is not a strong sink. We conclude that a significant component of yield variability results from limitations in photosynthetic efficiency that are compounded by an inability to accumulate starch reserves in blueberry storage tissues in a typical northern European environment. This work informs techniques for improving agronomic management and indicates key traits required for yield stability in such environments.
| S-EPMC5972668 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We did whole-genome methylation sequencing for 21 Vaccinium samples. This project attempts to analyze the improvement breeding process of cultivated blueberry from two aspects of heredity and epigenetic inheritance.
2024-05-20 | GSE228041 | GEO
Project description:BackgroundTo investigate hypoglycemic activity and elucidate the active composition of the fruit blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum).MethodsMethanol extracts of blueberry (MEB) were separated using a D101 macroporous resin column to yield quinic acid derivative (Fr.1)- and flavonoid (Fr.2)-rich fractions. The effects of the blueberry extracts on mRNA expression of GLUT-2 (glucose transporter type 2) and PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ), as well as on the activities of PPRE (peroxisome proliferator response element) and NF-κB were analyzed in LO2 normal liver cells. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of GLUT-2, PPARγ, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA. The PPRE and NF-κB activities were detected by a luciferase reporter assay. Western blotting was used to detect the levels of PPARγ, GLUT-2, and p65. The active compositions were isolated using various chromatography columns, and were analyzed by NMR.ResultsmRNA and protein expression of GLUT-2 and PPARγ were significantly increased upon treatment with 400 μg/mL extracts of blueberry (P<0.05). The PPRE activity was also significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner upon administration of MEB (P<0.05). Furthermore, the NF-κB activity induced by lipopolysaccharides was inhibited by MEB (P<0.05). No fraction separated from MEB exhibited PPRE activation or NF-κB inhibition activity. Blueberry extract may execute its hypoglycemic activity by stimulating expression of GLUT-2 and PPARγ, and by inhibiting the inflammatory pathway. Together, quinic acid derivatives and flavonoids may result in a synergistic effect. Fourteen phenolic acids, including eight flavonoids, four quinic acid derivatives, and two other phenolic acids, were isolated and identified, and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and quercetin glycosides were found to be the major constituents of blueberry.ConclusionBlueberry may have hypoglycemic activity that functions through synergistic effects with caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and quercetin glycosides.
| S-EPMC6054273 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This study determines the optimal extraction conditions for the subcritical-water extraction (SWE) of anthocyanin from blueberries and chokeberries and compares the performance using conventional extraction methods. SWE is carried out under different conditions of extraction temperature (110 °C, 130 °C, 150 °C, 170 °C, 190 °C, and 200 °C), extraction time (1, 3, 5, and 10 min), and solvent pH (water and 1% citric acid). The solubility and stability of anthocyanin from blueberries and chokeberries influences the optimal condition for SWE. The presence of more methoxy and hydroxyl functional groups in the basic skeleton of anthocyanin will result in a lower solubility at a high temperature. Water at a higher temperature exhibits a better dissociation reaction, and a solvent has a lower pH at a higher temperature. One percent citric acid is used to reduce the pH of the solvent, which increases the extraction efficiency of anthocyanin in a subcritical water state.
| S-EPMC8000843 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFruit texture is a primary selection trait in southern highbush blueberry (SHB) breeding to increase fresh fruit postharvest quality and consumer acceptance. A novel crisp fruit texture has recently been identified among SHB germplasm. In this study, we developed a common set of descriptors that align sensory evaluation of blueberry fruit texture with instrumental measures that could be used for quantitative measurements during pre- and postharvest evaluation.ResultsSensory and instrumental characteristics were measured in 36 and 49 genotypes in 2010 and 2011, respectively. A trained sensory panel evaluated fresh fruit based on five common textural attributes in 2010 and 2011: bursting energy, flesh firmness, skin toughness, juiciness and mealiness. Instrumental measures of compression and bioyield forces were significantly different among cultivars and correlated with sensory scores for bursting energy, flesh firmness and skin toughness (R > 0.7, except skin toughness in 2011), but correlations with sensory scores for juiciness and mealiness were low (R < 0.4).ConclusionThe results of sensory and instrumental measures supported the use of both compression and bioyield force measures in distinguishing crisp from standard-texture genotypes, and suggest that crisp texture in SHB is related to the sensory perception of bursting energy, flesh firmness and skin toughness.
| S-EPMC4283978 | biostudies-literature