Project description:Most developmental processes associated with fruit patterning take place at the floral meristem (FM). Age-regulated microRNA156 (miR156) and gibberellins (GA) integrate to control flowering time, but it is unclear how GA and miR156 interplay during fruit patterning. Here, we used genetic, molecular, and imaging tools to demonstrate that GA and age synergistically control tomato reproductive development. We found that low levels of miR156-targeted SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN–LIKE (SPL/SBP) transcripts or high GA responses/levels led to enlarged FMs, defects in FM determinacy, and fruits with increased locule number. Conversely, low GA responses reduced locule number and indeterminacy, and the expression of a miR156-resistant form of SlSBP15 (rSBP15) reduces FM size by decreasing cell size and cell number. Importantly, we discovered that GA levels/responses may be partially responsible for the fruit defects observed in 156OE and rSBP15 plants. GA and miR156-targeted SlSBPs regulate classical genes associated with floral determinacy, such as CRABS CLAWa (SlCRCa), and GA and SlSBPs act synergistically with tomato CLAVATA3 (SlCLV3) to control early flower and fruit development. Our findings indicate that gibberellins and age-dependent miR156-targeted SlSBPs co-operate to regulate FM activity and locule formation, thereby offering a novel mechanism of controlling fruit patterning.
Project description:Samples from fruit juice vesicle tissue from three lemon genotypes (Frost Lisbon, Faris "sour" and Faris "sweet") differing in fruit acidity were compared at two developmental timepoints (immature, mature). Faris lemon appears to be a graft chimera with the L2 layer derived from normal acid lemon and layer L1 from Millsweet limetta or a closely related genotype. Fruit of Faris sour and Faris sweet grew on different branches of the same tree, with sour fruit developing on branches with L1 and L2 from acid lemon. genotype: Faris sweet lemon - developmental stage: PO:0007009 FF.01 fruit size 30%,(3-replications); genotype: Faris sweet lemon - developmental stage: PO:0007050 FR.03 late stage of fruit ripening,(3-replications); genotype: Faris acid lemon - developmental stage: PO:0007009 FF.01 fruit size 30%,(3-replications); genotype: Faris acid lemon - developmental stage: PO:0007050 FR.03 late stage of fruit ripening,(3-replications); genotype: Frost Lisbon lemon - developmental stage: PO:0007009 FF.01 fruit size 30%,(3-replications); genotype: Frost Lisbon lemon - developmental stage: PO:0007050 FR.03 late stage of fruit ripening,(3-replications) PLEXdb (http://www.plexdb.org) has submitted this series at GEO on behalf of the original contributor, Mikeal L. Roose. The equivalent experiment is CT1 at PLEXdb.
Project description:Fig fruit are highly perishable at the tree-ripe (TR) stage. Commercial-ripe (CR) fruit, which are harvested before the TR stage for their postharvest transportability and shelf-life advantage, are inferior to TR fruit in size, color and sugar content. The succulent urn-shaped receptacle serves as the protective structure and edible part of the fruit, and determines fruit quality. Quantitative iTRAQ reveal the proteins and transcripts that are differentially expressed in fig receptacle at the two harvest stages. We annotated 691 proteins against uni_Moraceae_3487, of which 59 showed ≤1.3 -fold change—in TR vs CR fruit. Ficin was the most abundant soluble protein in the fig receptacle. A high abundance of aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase was identified.
Project description:Blueberry is one of the most desirable and nutritious fruits. During fruit development, the blueberry’s organoleptic properties and phytonutrient composition are ever-changing [1]. Blueberry fruit development is typically described in five phases: pads, cups, green, pink, and blue (ripe) [2]. The former two phases are referred to as the initial “expansion”. During expansion, young fruit is generally hard, dark green and distinguishable by size [3]. The latter three phases are referred to as maturation. Green fruit are hard and fully rounded green berries; pink berries are partially pigmented; blue (ripe) berries are fully colored and soft. Fruit maturation has attracted considerable research attention, and typically, the characteristics fruit softening, coloring, and sweetening are assessed [4].
Project description:We optimzed ATAC-seq library preparation for use with Drosophila melanogaster. The protocol addresses factors specific to fruit flies, such as the insect exoskeleton and smaller genome size. The optimized protocol provides guidelines for sample input, nuclei isolation, and enzymatic reaction times. The data included here were generated using our optimized library preparation workflow.
Project description:Fruit length is a key domestication trait that affects crop yield and appearance quality. Cucumber fruits vary from 5~60 cm in length. Despite multiple fruit length QTLs have been identified, the underlying genes and regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. Map-based cloning identified a nonsynonymous SNP (G to A) in CRABS CLAW (CsCRC) confers the major effect fruit length QTL FS5.2. CsCRCA is a rare allele only exist in Xishuangbanna cucumber with round fruits. Construction of near-isogenic line (NIL) of CsCRCA led to 34~39% reduction in fruit length. Introduction of CsCRCG into the NIL rescued the short-fruit phenotype, and knockdown of CsCRCG resulted in reduced fruit length and decreased cell size. RNA-seq results showed that an auxin responsive protein CsARP1 expressed decreased in CsCRC-RNAi lines. Further, an auxin responsive protein Further, CsARP1 is the downstream target gene of CsCRCG, instead of CsCRCA. Knockout of CsARP1 produced decreased fruit length with smaller cells. Hence, our work suggested that CsCRCG positively regulates fruit elongation through transcriptional activation of CsARP1 and thus enhanced cell expansion. Utilization of CsCRC alleles provides a new strategy to manipulate fruit length in cucumber breeding.
Project description:Meristem maintenance, achieved through the highly conserved CLAVATA-WUSCHEL (CLV-WUS) regulatory circuit, is fundamental in balancing stem cell proliferation with cellular differentiation. Disruptions to meristem homeostasis can alter meristem size, leading to enlarged organs. Cotton, the world’s most important fiber crop, shows inherent variation in fruit size. Leveraging meristem regulation could benefit cotton agriculture and increase yields of high-quality fibers. Using virus-based gene manipulation in cotton, we altered expression of genes functioning in the CLV-WUS circuit to perturb meristem regulation and increase fruit size. Targeted alteration of individual components of the CLV-WUS circuit only modestly fasciated flowers and fruits. Unexpectedly, controlled expression of meristem regulator SELF-PRUNING (SP) dramatically increased the impacts of altered CLV-WUS expression on flower and fruit fasciation. Meristem transcriptomics show SP and genes of the CLV-WUS circuit are expressed independently from each other, suggesting these gene products are not acting in the same path. Virus-induced silencing of GhSP facilitated delivery of other signals to the meristem to dramatically alter organ specification. SELF-PRUNING has a role in cotton meristem homeostasis, and changes in GhSP expression increased access of virus-based signals to the meristem.
Project description:Anthocyanins, total phenols, soluble sugar and fruit shape play a significant role in determining the distinct fruit quality and customer preference. However, for the majority of fruit species, little is known about the transcriptomics and underlying regulatory networks that control the generation of overall quality during fruit growth and ripening. This study incorporated the quality-related transcriptome data from 6 ecological zones across 3 fruit development and maturity phases of Chardonnay cultivars. With the help of this dataset, we were able to build a complex regulatory network that may be used to identify important structural genes and transcription factors that control the anthocyanins, total phenols, soluble sugars and fruit shape in grapes. Overall, our findings set the groundwork to improve grape quality in addition to offering novel views on quality control during grape development and ripening.
Project description:Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit is a type of fleshy fruit that is harvested immaturely. Early fruit development directly determines the final fruit length and diameter, and consequently the fruit yield and quality. Different cucumber varieties display huge variations of fruit length, but how fruit length is determined at the molecular level remains poorly understood. To understand the genes and gene networks that regulate fruit length in cucumber, high throughout RNA-seq data were used to compare the transcriptomes of early fruit from two near isogenic lines with different fruit lengths. 3955 genes were found to be differentially expressed, among which 2368 genes were significantly up-regulated and 1587 down-regulated in the line with long fruit. Microtubule and cell cycle related genes were dramatically activated in the long fruit, and transcription factors were implicated in the fruit length regulation in cucumber. Thus, our results built a foundation to dissect the molecular mechanism of fruit length control in cucumber, a key agricultural trait of significant economic importance.