Abstract
Fruit ripening is a unique plant developmental process with direct implications for our food supply, nutrition, and health. In contrast to climacteric fruit, where ethylene is pivotal, the hormonal control of ripening in nonclimacteric fruit, such as grape (Vitis vinifera), is poorly understood. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroidal hormones, essential for normal plant growth and development but not previously implicated in the ripening of nonclimacteric fruit. Here we show that increases in endogenous BR levels, but not indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or GA levels, are associated with ripening in grapes. Putative grape homologs of genes encoding BR biosynthesis enzymes (BRASSINOSTEROID-6-OXIDASE and DWARF1) and the BR receptor (BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1) were isolated, and the function of the grape BRASSINOSTEROID-6-OXIDASE gene was confirmed by transgenic complementation of the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) extreme dwarf (dx/dx) mutant. Expression analysis of these genes during berry development revealed transcript accumulation patterns that were consistent with a dramatic increase in endogenous BR levels observed at the onset of fruit ripening. Furthermore, we show that application of BRs to grape berries significantly promoted ripening, while brassinazole, an inhibitor of BR biosynthesis, significantly delayed fruit ripening. These results provide evidence that changes in endogenous BR levels influence this key developmental process. This may provide a significant insight into the mechanism controlling ripening in grapes, which has direct implications for the logistics of grape production and down-stream processing.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Endogenous BR levels rose with grape ripening.
Verbatim
e0“increases in endogenous BR levels, but not indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or GA levels, are associated with ripening in grapes”
Claim · model-written summary
IAA and GA levels were not associated with grape ripening.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“increases in endogenous BR levels, but not indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or GA levels, are associated with ripening in grapes”
Claim · model-written summary
Putative grape BR biosynthesis and receptor gene homologs were isolated.
Verbatim
e0“Putative grape homologs of genes encoding BR biosynthesis enzymes (BRASSINOSTEROID-6-OXIDASE and DWARF1) and the BR receptor (BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1) were isolated”
Claim · model-written summary
The grape BRASSINOSTEROID-6-OXIDASE gene function was confirmed by complementation in tomato.
Verbatim
e0“the function of the grape BRASSINOSTEROID-6-OXIDASE gene was confirmed by transgenic complementation of the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) extreme dwarf (dx/dx) mutant”
Claim · model-written summary
Transcript accumulation patterns matched a dramatic BR rise at the start of ripening.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“transcript accumulation patterns that were consistent with a dramatic increase in endogenous BR levels observed at the onset of fruit ripening”
t0“Grape Berry Ripening”
Claim · model-written summary
Applying BRs significantly promoted grape berry ripening.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“application of BRs to grape berries significantly promoted ripening”
Claim · model-written summary
Brassinazole significantly delayed grape fruit ripening.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“brassinazole, an inhibitor of BR biosynthesis, significantly delayed fruit ripening”
t0“Grape Berry Ripening”
The same questions in other papers
class · quality: postharvest · VitisPositive and negative results
3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction
- positive
- no effect
- negative
2 papers more in this group
See all 6 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.