Expression of lycopene cyclase genes and their regulation on downstream carotenoids during fruit maturation of Guoqing No. 1 Satsuma mandarin and Cara Cara navel orange

Lycopene β-cyclase (LCYb) and lycopene ?-cyclase (LCYe) are believed to be crucial genes to lycopene cyclization and downstream carotenoid accumulation. To illuminate the gene expression profiles and their regulation on downstream carotenoids, expression profiles of these two genes and contents of several corresponding carotenoids were determined by real-time PCR and HPLC, respectively, in relative shorter intervals during breaker and maturation stage of Guoqing No. 1 satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marcow) and Cara Cara navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck). Data showed that the expression profiles of these two cyclase genes and their relative expression levels between the peels and the pulps at the same stage all varied with cultivars. But in general, accumulation of lutein and β-carotene experienced a similar tendency in both cultivars and were up-regulated by expression of LCYb and LCYe in spite of poor correlation in the pulps. Meanwhile, lycopene abundance was negatively correlated with the expression of LCYe as expected, but hardly correlated with LCYb in the pulps of Cara Cara navel orange, indicating that LCYe might exert a more prominent influence on lycopene cyclization and downstream carotenoids formation. Results of carotenoids accumulation suggest that the biosynthetic process of carotenoids would shift from upstream β, ?- or β, β-carotenoids such as lutein and β-carotene to downstream β, β-carotenoids during fruit development.     

Effects of ethephon and 2,4,5-T on fruit size,rind pigments and alternate bearing of ‘Imperial’ mandarin

Ethephon and 2,4,5-T were used on ‘Imperial’ mandarin to study their effects on fruit thinning, fruit size, rind pigments and alternate bearing.Ethephon at 250 p.p.m. produced the largest and heaviest fruits. Pigment levels were not affected by 2,4,5-T, but ethephon increased carotenoids and reduced chlorophyll a and b levels. The effectiveness of a colouring agent seems to be related to its ability to reduce both levels of chlorophyll a and b provided that carotenoid levels do not decrease.Treated trees exhibited less tendency towards alternate bearing than control trees. Ethephon had a greater thinning-effect than 2,4,5-T. It also evened cropping for 2 successive years. One spray of ethephon in an “on” year would be effective in reversing and leveling cropping of ‘Imperial’ mandarin for at least 4 years under Mildura conditions.     

红掌佛焰苞中花色素与颜色形成的关系

利用切片观察法、显色法和比色法对佛焰苞中花色素的分布情况、组分及含量进行了初步分析。结果表明:红掌佛焰苞中主要含有类黄酮(包括花青素苷、黄酮和黄酮醇)、叶绿素和类胡萝卜素3类色素。大部分品种中类黄酮主要分布于上下表皮细胞中,‘萨维尔’等少数品种的栅栏组织中也有类黄酮分布;而叶绿素和类胡萝卜素则分布在栅栏组织中。各色系均含有类黄酮,红色系比其它色系含有更多的花青素苷,绿色系则含有叶绿素;参试品种中只有棕红色品种‘热带之夜’含有少量类胡萝卜素。花青素苷和叶绿素是佛焰苞显色的主要因素,总体上总花青素苷和叶绿素含量与颜色明度L*呈负相关,而与彩度C*呈正相关,即随着总花青素苷含量的增加,红色和粉红色佛焰苞的红色色调加强,叶绿素含量增加可使绿色和白色佛焰苞的绿色和黄色色调加强。     

Flower colours and pigments in hybrid tuberose (Polianthes)

The flower pigment constitutions of nine hybrids with pink, reddish purple, purple, orange and yellow flowers obtained from the crossings and back-crossings using Polianthes tuberosa ‘Single’ and ‘Double’ and Polianthes howardii were analysed. Among the parents and hybrids, two white flowered cultivars of P. tuberosa had neither carotenoids nor anthocyanins, one hybrid had only carotenoids, four hybrids had only anthocyanins and an additional other four hybrids along with P. howardii had both carotenoids and anthocyanins in their petals. The main anthocyanidin in the petals of anthocyanin containing flowers is cyanidin with which some hybrids also contained delphinidin. Inducing of the anthocyanins and carotenoids from P. howardii into P. tuberosa can contribute to the extension of the diversity of flower colours in further tuberose breeding.     

Physiological changes in boysenberry fruit during growth and ripening

Summary

Boysenberries (Rubus hybrid) were harvested at five developmental stages (green, “turning”, pink, red and purple) to study changes associated with flavour, colour and firmness, with a particular focus on the different enzymes involved in chlorophyll degradation or cell wall degradation. The level of reducing and non-reducing sugars increased 109- and 52-fold, respectively, between the “turning” and the purple stage. Titratable acidity increased by 84% between the green and the pink stage, but dropped by 41% between the red stage and full ripening. Total phenols displayed their highest values in green and “turning” fruit. Chlorophyll a and b degradation occurred mainly during the early stages of development, and was paralleled by a 2.3-fold increase in chlorophyllase activity and a 5-fold increase in Mg-dechelatase activity between the green and the red stages. Chlorophyll peroxidase activity was high at the green stage, but did not change significantly after the “turning” stage. This is the first report on the activity of chlorophyll-degrading enzymes in Rubus spp. fruits. Anthocyanins increased 11-fold between the “turning” and the pink stages, and an additional eight-fold between the pink and the purple stages. Fruit firmness decreased noticeably during ripening, with a concomitant 10.75-fold increase in polygalacturonase activity, beginning at the “turning” stage. Endo- -1,4-glucanase and -galactosidase activities rose 9.2- and 6.7-fold, respectively, after the pink stage and paralleled the major softening process taking place between the pink and purple stages, when fruit firmness decreased from 3.83 N to 0.29 N. Pectin methylesterase activity was high in pink and red fruit, but decreased by 21% as the fruit turned from red to purple. This is the first report on cell wall enzyme activities whose combined action might be required for the breakdown of natural cell wall substrates during ripening in boysenberry, as happens in other soft fruits.     

Changes in pigments and plastid ultrastructure during ripening of green-fleshed and yellow-fleshed kiwifruit

Fruit of Actinidia deliciosa have green flesh when ripe, whereas fruit of Actinidia chinensis often have yellow flesh when ripe. The outer and inner pericarps of A. deliciosa fruit retain their chlorophyll during ripening. In those fruit of A. chinensis that become yellow on ripening, the colour change is caused by the disappearance of chlorophylls unmasking the yellow carotenoids already present, rather than by increased synthesis of carotenoids. In fruit of A. deliciosa and those fruit of A. chinensis that remain green, the chloroplasts retain their typical morphology during ripening, whereas in fruit of A. chinensis that become yellow during ripening the chloroplasts of the immature green fruit are transformed into fully developed chromoplasts.     

百合花色机理研究进展

百合花色主要由花青苷和类胡萝卜素形成,一般粉色和棕色花中主要成分是花青苷;黄色和橙色花中主要成分是类胡萝卜素;红色是由花青苷和类胡萝卜素共同组成。百合花色的遗传现象比较复杂。目前初步构建了几个群体,通过遗传连锁图谱标记了花色相关位点。百合中花青苷和类胡萝卜素合成代谢途径中的大部分结构基因已经被克隆和研究。花青苷合成途径中的转录因子LhMYB12调控百合花被片中的花青苷的有无,其转录水平调控花青苷的颜色强度和着色类型。本文总结了百合花朵的着色机理研究,为进一步开展百合花色育种提供了理论参考。     

Preferential accumulation of orange-colored carotenoids in Ponkan (Citrus reticulata) fruit peel following postharvest application of ethylene or ethephon

To avoid winter frost, Ponkan (Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. Ponkan) fruit in Zhejiang Province, China, is frequently harvested early, while chlorophylls are still present in the peel. Postharvest degreening of Ponkan fruit, through either ethylene fumigation or ethephon dipping, was carried out to study the effects of both treatments on color development and carotenoid accumulation. An earlier and deeper orange color development after treatments was indicated by a decline in hue angle (H°) and an increase in the citrus color index (CCI). Total carotenoid content increased, while chlorophyll content decreased during storage at 10 °C, and these changes were accelerated by both treatments. The treatments stimulated preferential accumulation of carotenoids with orange color (β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin) while reducing the abundance of carotenoids with yellow color (lutein, violaxanthin and 9-cis-violaxanthin). Gene expression of β-carotene hydroxylase (BCH) was inhibited by both treatments, which could be related to the changes in composition of these differently colored carotenoids.     

Abscisic acid content of Citrus flavedo in relation to colour development

Summary

The relationship between endogenous abscisic acid concentrations and the development of colour was examined in six cultivars of Citrus sinensis. Abscisic acid content increased throughout the course of colour development and reached a maximum at time of colour break. Late-maturing cultivars accumulated substantially more abscisic acid and development of colour occurred visibly later than in ‘Navel’ selections. A decline in abscisic acid concentration occurred concomitantly with full expression of colour. Analysis of the pigment composition of flavedo from Citrus sinensis cv. Midknight revealed that development of orange colour was associated with a decline in levels of β,β-carotenoids, an increase in violaxanthin monoesters and formation of xanthophyll acyl esters.     

Identification of 57 sweet orange cultivars using AFLP markers

Summary

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) represents an important group of Citrus fruit; however, the identification of sweet orange cultivars during vegetative growth can be difficult. A study on the genetic identification of sweet orange cultivars may be significant for the sweet orange nursery industry, for cultivar-rights protection, and is important for the genetic evaluation and conservation of these orange cultivars. In this study, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to genotype 57 sweet orange cultivars. Ten PCR primer pairs generated 629 unique AFLP bands, with a size range of 50 ? 500 bp. Seventy-four bands (11.8%) were polymorphic. On average, each primer pair produced 62.9 fragments, with 7.4 polymorphic fragments. A dendrogram of the 57 sweet orange cultivars was constructed based on an UPGMA analysis using Jaccard?s coefficients of similarity. This provided a clear comparison of the genetic variation between cultivars and an ability to identify them. From Jaccard?s coefficients, 56 of the 57 cultivars examined were genetically close, with coefficient values ≥ 0.985. ?Variegated Navel? was less closely-related, with a much lower coefficient value (0.94). Among the 57 cultivars, 28 sub-groups, some consisting of only one cultivar, could be separated by their AFLP fingerprints. Compared to ISSR and SSR markers, AFLP seemed to be the preferential marker technique for the identification of sweet orange cultivars.     

不同基因型茄子果实发育过程中色素与可溶性糖的关系

以茄子果实颜色不同的4个品种为试材,测定了茄子果实发育过程中花青素苷、叶绿素和可溶性糖含量,并分析了色素和可溶性糖的相关性。结果表明:茄子果色由花青素苷和叶绿素共同作用,各色素含量因基因型而异,紫色茄子花青素苷在果实形成后期迅速增加,叶绿素递减,绿色茄子则相反。茄子果实中蔗糖和葡萄糖等还原糖是主要的可溶性糖。在果实形成后期蔗糖、葡萄糖和总还原糖都是紫色茄子大于绿色茄子。紫色茄子果实的花青素苷与蔗糖、还原糖及低聚糖的含量呈显著或极显著正相关;绿色茄子果实叶绿素和总可溶性糖含量呈显著正相关,表明茄子果实花青素苷和叶绿素的积累是两个独立过程,两者的积累都与可溶性糖含量变化密切相关,而且相关性存在基因型差异。     

Effects of salinity at two ripening stages on the fruit quality of single-truss tomato grown in hydroponics

Summary

Single-truss tomato plants grown hydroponically (wet-sheet culture) were exposed to a salinity (EC) of 5.0 dS m²¹ or 8.0 dS m²¹ at two fruit ripening stages, the immature green stage and the decolouring stage. These salinities were achieved by adding NaCl to the standard solution, which had an EC of 2.4 dS m²¹. Increased salinity at the immature green stage improved fruit quality more than increased salinity at the decolouring stage but decreased fruit yield more. The reduction in fruit yield was due to a decrease in fruit weight but not in fruit number. Salinity increased the concentration of soluble solids, citrate, ascorbic acid, K, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, lycopene, and carotene in the fruit, but the absolute amount of these constituents per fruit was decreased or not affected. These results suggest that the improvement in fruit quality induced by the salinity is caused by the reduction of water import into the fruit. The effectiveness of both salinities was significantly bigger when it was applied at the earlier development stage, suggesting that mature fruit would be less sensitive to strength of the EC.     

The effect of temperature on certain chemical changes and the storage behaviour of jujube fruits (Zizyphus spinachristi (L.), Willd.)

Summary

Jujube fruits (Zizyphus spinachristi (L.) Willd.) cv. Bambawi were harvested at the mature green stage and stored at 10°C and 27–30°C. Titratable acidity and total chlorophyll decreased as the fruit matured, the rate of decline being more rapid at the higher temperature. Total soluble solids, carotenoids and ascorbic acid contents of the fruit increased towards maturity, the increase being faster at the higher temperature. Jujube fruits could be stored for six days at room temperature and twenty-five days under refrigeration at 10°C.     

Effects of pruning intensity on the biochemical status of shoot buds in three mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivars planted at high density

Summary

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) trees grown at high density show a decline in flowering and fruiting after good fruiting years as a result of various factors. Annual pruning can restore production and productivity in such trees. Chlorophyll, total sugars (TS), total phenolics (TP), and proline contents as well as polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, were measured in the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 seasons in shoot buds with a few leaves in three mango cultivars (‘Amrapali’, ‘Mallika’, and ‘Dashehari’). Trees were grown at high density in an orchard and the aforesaid parameters were measured 1 month after different degrees of pruning (Stage I) and after subsequent fruit bud differentiation (FBD; Stage II). Severely-pruned mango trees had the highest contents of chlorophyll a, while chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll contents were found to be highest in moderately-pruned trees. Lightly-pruned trees had the highest contents of reducing sugars (RS), whereas TS contents were highest in severely-pruned trees. The contents of RS and TS increased in shoot buds during the FBD stage. A moderate intensity of pruning significantly increased TP contents, while the lowest TP contents were recorded in non-pruned trees. ‘Off’-year shoots had higher TP contents than ‘on’-year shoots. Irrespective of pruning intensity, shoot buds of ‘Mallika’ trees had the highest PPO activities, with lower levels in ‘Amrapali’ and ‘Dashehari’ shoot buds. PPO activities were reduced at the FBD stage in ‘on’-year shoots. Severely-pruned trees had the highest PPO activities, while the lowest PPO activities were recorded in lightly-pruned trees. Shoot bud proline contents were found to be highest in non-pruned trees, and decreased with increasing pruning intensity. Thus moderate pruning can be adopted in high density orchards to obtain sustainable production with improved maintenance of canopy architecture.     

果实色素含量与水溶、脂溶性抗氧化活性的相关性(英文)

色泽和保健作用是果实的2个重要特征.以杨梅(Myrica rubra)、草莓(Fragaria ananassa)、枇杷(Eriobotrya japonica)、桃(Prunus persica)、猕猴桃(Actinidia deliciosa)、椪柑(Citrus reticulata)、脐橙(Citrus sinensis)等果实为材料,研究了不同颜色果实中色素含量与水溶、脂溶性抗氧化活性的相关性.结果表明,深红色荸荠杨梅中的总酚(3 254.7mg/kg)和花青苷(759.4mg/kg)的含量很高,而红色果肉洛阳青枇杷中类胡萝卜素(19 551.3μg/kg)含量较高.叶绿素仅在猕猴桃果实中被检测到.利用PSC法研究果实总抗氧化活性(含水溶和脂溶).结果表明,深红色荸荠杨梅果实提取物的总抗氧化活性(31.14 μmol TE/g)最高,白色果肉的大玉白凤桃提取物的总抗氧化活性(10.34 μmol TE/g)最低.相关性分析结果表明,水溶性抗氧化活性与酚类(R2=0.84)含量呈显著正相关关系,而脂溶性抗氧化活性与类胡萝卜素含量(R2=0.92)都呈显著正相关关系.维生素C是果实中众所周知的水溶性抗氧化物质,然而,研究发现水溶性抗氧化活性与维生素C的含量相关性不显著.含花青苷较丰富的深红色果肉水果和含类胡萝卜素丰富的红色果肉水果都是天然抗氧化物质的良好来源.     

Molecular Characterization of Some Apple Accessions Using DNA Markers Associated with Fruit Skin and Flesh Colour

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most widely grown and economically important fruit crops in the world. Skin colour is one of the most important criteria for marketing of apple fruits. Thus, improving fruit colouring is one of the main objectives of apple breeding programs. Even though environmental conditions may affect the colouring of apple, understanding the genetic basis of colouring is important to accelerate the breeding process. In recent years, molecular biology and genetic studies were conducted to explore the molecular basis of colouring in apple. Many genes responsible for the anthocyanin synthesis were identified and their associations with colouring of apple fruit flesh and/or skin were demonstrated. In addition, some DNA markers associated with fruit flesh and skin colour have been developed for screening apple cultivars and hybrids. In this study, 90 apple accessions of international, national, and local decents were selected from the genetic resources collection. Genomic DNA was isolated from leaf tissue of all acession and screened with four different DNA markers associated with fruit flesh and skin colour. Apple accessions in the collection were characterized and their genotypes and genetic potential for fruit colouration were determined by different DNA markers. Additionally, the use of these DNA markers in different apple accessions, well-characterized cultivars and uncharacterized local and national types were investigated.

     

Biochemical and physiological changes during chlorophyll degradation in lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle cv. ‘Paan’)

Summary

Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle cv. ‘Paan’) native to South East Asia, has a distinct flavour and quality characteristics. Maintenance of the green colour in the peel of lime is a desirable quality attribute during storage. Post-harvest chlorophyll degradation in lime was studied in fruit stored at room temperature (30°C) at a relative humidity (RH) of 70 – 85%. Within 7 d of storage, the total chlorophyll content decreased to 53.9% of its initial level. The highest chlorophyllase activity (1.68 units mg^–1 protein) was observed after 4 d of storage and declined thereafter. Peroxidase activity differed from chlorophyllase activity and increased significantly to 6.25 units mg^–1 protein after 9 d of storage, (i.e., at the late maturity stage). Respiration rate and 1-aminocyclopropene-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase activity did not significantly affect the chlorophyll degradation process in lime.The total nitrogen content of lime peel was inversely correlated with its chlorophyll content. A higher soluble protein content was observed in yellow peel than in mature green peel. A colour index chart was developed for maturity stages 1–4 in lime based on peel colour changes from mature green to full-yellow, and its correlation with chlorophyll content and fruit quality attributes.     

金枝黄花柳回交子代枝条颜色与转录组研究

为了探究枝条颜色变异的原因，以金枝黄花柳回交子代及其亲本为材料，分析子代枝条性状遗传变异规律及性状与基因表达的关系。结果显示，金枝型回交子代枝条表现为黄色到橙色，普通型回交子代枝条表现为墨绿色至棕色，不同单株个体之间存在颜色差异。枝条转录组共检测到差异表达基因2 499个，其中上调基因984个，下调基因1 515个。功能注释和富集分析发现，卟啉与叶绿素代谢通路(KEGG&ko00860)中与色素合成有关的基因表达量存在差异，其中叶绿素/细菌叶绿素a合成酶(2.5.1.133;2.5.1.62)与叶绿素/细菌叶绿素a还原酶(1.3.1.111)基因表达上调，叶绿素酶(3.1.1.14)基因表达下调。基因差异表达会影响代谢通路，进而影响枝条中叶绿素的含量，导致枝条颜色存在差异。     

脐橙叶片镁、硼含量变化与缺素黄化的关系

以‘纽荷尔’和‘朋娜’脐橙品种为材料,研究了中亚热带季风区红壤果园的脐橙叶片镁和硼含量的动态变化,叶片镁和硼含量对叶绿素含量的影响及其与叶片缺素黄化的关系。两个品种的叶片含镁量均随叶龄增长而下降,6月果实进入膨大期后尤其明显,且与叶片黄化进程同步;叶片含硼量随叶龄增长而增加或稳定;两个品种的叶片含镁量与叶绿素含量呈极显著正相关（P < 0.01）,相关系数分别为0.9082和0.9063,而叶片含硼量与叶绿素含量相关不显著（P > 0.05）;缺镁是导致脐橙叶片缺素黄化的原因。     

Identification and quantification of anthocyanins in different coloured cultivars of ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC)

Anthocyanins are responsible for the colour of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and coloured-leaved trees. Ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) is widely cultivated for its colourful inner leaves. To investigate the relationship between the degree of colouration and anthocyanin distribution, content, and composition in ornamental kale, the authors studied the pigment characteristics of five cultivars with different coloured leaves (white, pink, red, purple, and purple-black). Microscopy observation, spectrophotometer, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis of fresh inner leaves revealed that pink, red, and purple colourations were associated with high levels of anthocyanin, while purple-black was the result of the combination of anthocyanins and chlorophyll. In the coloured cultivars, anthocyanins were abundant mainly in the first and second cell layers below the epidermis in both the hypocotyls and inner leaves. No anthocyanin was found in the white-leaved phenotype cultivar. Anthocyanin content increased as leaf colour deepened from pink, red, to purple cultivars, which had little chlorophyll and carotenoid. The authors identified eight anthocyanins in the four coloured cultivars, including one non-acylated, four monoacylated, and three diacylated cyanidin glycosides. Cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)(feruloyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin in the four coloured cultivars followed by cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside. The analysis of anthocyanin accumulation characterisation provides important information on evaluating colouration patterns in coloured plants, and will be helpful for breeding desired leaf colours in ornamental kale.