果实成熟和衰老的分子调控机制

成熟和衰老是果实生命周期中的两个重要阶段, 直接影响果实的品质保持及采后寿命。果实的成熟、衰老是一个复杂的生理过程, 受诸多内源因子的调控和外源因素的影响。该文重点综述近年来果实成熟、衰老分子机制方面的研究进展, 以及外源信号分子对果实成熟和衰老的调控作用。     

乙烯受体在果实成熟及花衰老中的研究进展

乙烯受体是乙烯信号转导网络的第一个转导元件,通过调控受体基因的表达,可以调节植物对乙烯的敏感性,以调控果实的成熟及花衰老进程的响应。随着人们对乙烯受体研究的深入,乙烯受体突变体及受体抑制剂在采后果实和切花保鲜上的应用已受到广泛关注。就近年来关于乙烯受体的相关研究进展进行综述,重点介绍了乙烯受体的分子调控机制及乙烯受体在果实成熟和花衰老中的应用,并对今后乙烯受体的研究方向作了展望,以期为进一步研究提供参考。     

采后黄花梨(Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai.)果实中丙二烯氧合酶的生理功能

以不同成熟时期黄花梨果实为材料 ,研究果实采后成熟衰老进程中丙二烯氧合酶 (AOS)与几个成熟衰老相关因子的关系 ,探讨AOS的生理功能。结果表明 :2 0℃下不同成熟时期果实成熟衰老进程中的AOS活性变化均为峰形曲线 ,活性峰值出现在采后 10～ 12d ,先于乙烯跃变峰 2～ 4d ;果实成熟衰老各种相关因子的变化峰值出现的先后顺序依次是 :脂氧合酶(LOX)、自由基 (O- ·2 )、AOS、ACC (1 氨基环丙烷 1 羧酸 )合成酶、ACC、ACC氧化酶 ,最后为乙烯跃变峰的出现。 1℃下贮藏果实的AOS活性、乙烯合成和其他成熟衰老相关酶活性均受到强烈抑制 ,ACC和O- ·2 含量也较低 ,果实衰老进程被显著延缓。推测AOS是乙烯合成的上游调控因子之一。     

1-MCP对植物乙烯反应的抑制和应用

综述了1-MCP在受体水平上抑制植物对乙烯反应的作用机制,并对其在调控果实,蔬菜和花卉成熟衰老中的潜在应用价值作了介绍。     

牛卵母细胞及着床前胚胎发育的蛋白质组学研究进展

蛋白质组学作为一种能够全景式展示特定生物学过程的蛋白质表达谱的高通量研究手段,正被应用到越来越多的研究领域。牛的卵子发生以及着床前胚胎的生长发育都离不开蛋白质的一系列变化,通过蛋白质组学的研究手段可对牛卵母细胞成熟以及胚胎发育分子机制进行研究。前人通过构建成熟前后的卵母细胞或不同时期的着床前胚胎等的蛋白质组表达谱,来获得与卵母细胞成熟相关的标志蛋白,并对这些标志物进行验证和分析,将有利于理解牛卵母细胞成熟、体外受精及着床前胚胎发育的分子机制,为提高牛卵母细胞的成熟率以及胚胎的发育率及提高牛繁殖率等奠定基础。主要从双向聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳、色谱技术以及质谱技术等蛋白质组学研究手段为切入点,对蛋白质组学在牛卵母细胞和着床前胚胎发育过程中的研究进展进行综述,为进一步研究牛卵母细胞及附植前胚胎提供参考。     

蛋白质组学及其技术发展

蛋白质组学产生于20世纪90年代,发展至今已日趋成熟。蛋白质组学是以生物体的全部或部分蛋白为研究对象,研究它们在生命活动过程中的作用、功能。蛋白质组学较之前的基因组学对于生命现象的解释更直接、更准确,近年得到了快速发展,并受到世界各国学者的高度关注。我们简要综述了蛋白质组学及其技术,并简单概述了这项技术在生命科学领域的应用。     

果实成熟的基因调控

果实的成熟过程是由一系列生理生化变化过程组成,这些变化过程受到外界环境条件、植物激素和基因的调控。随着近年来有关果实成熟衰老的基因的分离、定性及反义基因技术在控制果实成熟上的成功应用,对揭示果实成熟衰老的分子机理起到了重要作用。本文就近年来果实成熟基因调控研究进展作一简要评述 。     

iTRAQ法分析增龄雌性小鼠肝蛋白组学变化

目的研究增龄雌性小鼠肝蛋白组学变化,寻找增龄相关核心差异蛋白,基于蛋白质组学探讨增龄机理,为衰老机制的研究提供分子靶位。方法使用同位素标记的相对与绝对定量(iTRAQ法)、LC-MS及生物信息学分析12月龄、3月龄雌性小鼠间差异蛋白。结果两组对比鉴定到差异蛋白数369个,其中182个表现为上调,187个表现为下调。筛选后得到核心DEP中与增龄相关的差异蛋白共7个。结论差异蛋白的挖掘与深入研究,将有助于阐明衰老机制及发现潜在的标志物,为衰老的预防及增龄性疾病的诊断和治疗提供新的分子靶位。     

果实成熟的基因调控

果实的成熟过程是由一系列生理生化学变化过程组成,这些变化过程受到外界环境条件、植激素和基因的调控。随着近年来有关果实成熟衰老的基因的分离,定性及反义基因技术在控制果实成熟上的成功应用,对揭示果实成熟衰老的分子机理起到了重要作用。本文就近来果实成熟基因调控研究进展作一简要评述。     

植物与病原菌互作的蛋白质组学研究进展

深入认识植物与病原菌的识别方式、亲和性或非亲和性的互作模式,对于揭示植物-病原菌互作机制研究具有重要意义.利用蛋白质组学方法研究病原菌侵染植物过程,分析相关的基因和蛋白,有助于从分子水平上探究植物-病原菌相互作用机制.本文概述了植物-病原菌的互作机制,系统介绍了差异蛋白质组学分析方法在植物-病原真菌、植物-病原细菌两类互作系统中的应用,分析了植物与病原菌互作过程中可能涉及的差异表达功能蛋白,并对当前蛋白质组学技术在植物与病原菌互作研究中存在的诸多问题进行了探讨.     

Molecular and genetic regulation of fruit ripening

Fleshy fruit undergo a novel developmental program that ends in the irreversible process of ripening and eventual tissue senescence. During this maturation process, fruit undergo numerous physiological, biochemical and structural alterations, making them more attractive to seed dispersal organisms. In addition, advanced or over-ripening and senescence, especially through tissue softening and eventual decay, render fruit susceptible to invasion by opportunistic pathogens. While ripening and senescence are often used interchangeably, the specific metabolic activities of each would suggest that ripening is a distinct process of fleshy fruits that precedes and may predispose the fruit to subsequent senescence.     

Evidences for Chlorogenic Acid — A Major Endogenous Polyphenol Involved in Regulation of Ripening and Senescence of Apple Fruit

To learn how the endogenous polyphenols may play a role in fruit ripening and senescence, apple pulp discs were used as a model to study the influences of chlorogenic acid (CHA, a major polyphenol in apple pulp) on fruit ripening and senescence. Apple (‘Golden Delicious’) pulp discs prepared from pre-climacteric fruit were treated with 50 mg L^-1 CHA and incubated in flasks with 10 mM MES buffer (pH 6.0, 11% sorbitol). Compared to the control samples, treatment with CHA significantly reduced ethylene production and respiration rate, and enhanced levels of firmness and soluble solids content of the pulp discs during incubation at 25°C. These results suggested that CHA could retard senescence of the apple pulp discs. Proteomics analysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF) revealed that the expressions of several key proteins correlated to fruit ripening and senescence were affected by the treatment with CHA. Further study showed that treating the pulp discs with CHA remarkably reduced levels of lipoxygenase, β-galactosidase, NADP-malic enzyme, and enzymatic activities of lipoxygenase and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, all of which are known as promoters of fruit ripening and senescence. These results could provide new insights into the functions of endogenous phenolic compounds in fruit ripening and senescence.     

Calcium in plant senescence and fruit ripening

Abstract. Calcium has long been associated with regulation of the ripening process of fruit and post-harvest storage life. Specifically, maintenance of relatively high calcium concentrations in fruit tissue results in a slower rate of ripening, as seen in lower respiration rates, reduced ethylene production, and slower softening of fruit flesh. There are also some specific fruit disorders such as bitter pit, which can be prevented if sufficient calcium is present. Senescence of other plant tissues such as leaves and flowers has also been shown to be retarded by the application of calcium.
Work leading to the above information is reviewed and discussed in the context of what is currently known of cellular regulation of calcium in plants. The major sites for the action of calcium in senescence and ripening are suggested to be in membrane structure and function, and in cell wall structure. Although high external concentrations of calcium are an advantage in reducing the rate of senescence or ripening, it is emphasized that normal cell function requires the maintenance of low concentrations of free calcium in the cell cytosol. It is suggested that one possible feature of senescence is a breakdown in such cellular regulation.     

Non-destructive optical detection of pigment changes during leaf senescence and fruit ripening

Reflectance spectra in the visible and near infra-red range of the spectrum, acquired for maple ( Acer platanoides L.), chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum L.), potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), coleus ( Coleus blumei Benth.), leaves and lemon (Citrus limon L.) and apple ( Malus domestica Borkh.) fruits were studied. An increase of reflectance between 550 and 740 nm accompanied senescence-induced degradation of chlorophyll (Chl), whereas in the range 400–500 nm it remained low, due to retention of carotenoids (Car). It was found that both leaf senescence and fruit ripening affect the difference between reflectance ( R ) near 670 and 500 nm ( R ₆₇₈− R ₅₀₀), depending on pigment composition. The plant senescing reflectance index in the form ( R ₆₇₈− R ₅₀₀)/ R ₇₅₀ was found to be sensitive to the Car/Chl ratio, and was used as a quantitative measure of leaf senescence and fruit ripening. The changes in the index were followed during leaf senescence, and natural and ethylene-induced fruit ripening. This novel index can be used for estimating the onset, the stage, relative rates and kinetics of senescence/ripening processes.     

Identification of cDNA clones for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) mRNAs that accumulate during fruit ripening and leaf senescence in response to ethylene

Changes in gene expression during foliar senescence and fruit ripening in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were examined using in-vitro translation of isolated RNA and hybridization against cDNA clones.During the period of chlorophyll loss in leaves, changes occurred in mRNA in-vitro translation products, with some being reduced in prevalence, whilst others increased. Some of the translation products which changed in abundance had similar molecular weights to those known to increase during tomato fruit ripening. By testing RNA from senescing leaves against a tomato fruit ripening-related cDNA library, seven cDNA clones were identified for mRNAs whose prevalence increased during both ripening and leaf senescence. Using dot hybridization, the pattern of expression of the mRNAs corresponding to the seven clones was examined. Maximal expression of the majority of the mRNAs coincided with the time of greatest ethylene production, in both leaves and fruit. Treatment of mature green leaves or unripe fruit with the ethylene antagonist silver thiosulphate prevented the onset of senescence or ripening, and the expression of five of the seven ripening- and senescence-related genes.The results indicate that senescence and ripening in tomato involve the expression of related genes, and that ethylene may be an important factor in controlling their expression.Abbreviations cDNA copy-DNA - MW molecular weight - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate