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Sucrose synthase FaSS1 plays an important role in the regulation of strawberry fruit ripening

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Abstract

Sugar content and composition are critical to fruit development. Sucrose, a photosynthate unloaded to the fruit, is metabolized by sucrose synthase, which might play a dominant role in sucrose accumulation during strawberry fruit ripening. However, substantial evidence regarding the molecular mechanism underlying sucrose accumulation in strawberry fruit development is lacking. Here, a strawberry sucrose synthase gene, FaSS1, was cloned and identified. Its 2421-bp cDNA includes an intact open reading frame and encodes an 806 amino acid protein, in which sucrose synthase-related conserved domains were predicted by a homology analysis. Using tobacco rattle virus-induced gene silencing, the downregulation of FaSS1 transcripts significantly delayed fruit ripening, as evidenced by the changes of firmness, and soluble sugar and anthocyanin contents, as well as the transcripts of several ripening-related genes, including PE1, PL1, XYL2, CHS, CHI, and DFR. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of FaSS1 was inhibited by abscisic acid or sucrose, but not by glucose after fruit disc incubation in vitro. In conclusion, FaSS1 plays an important role in the regulation of strawberry fruit ripening, and its expression could be inhibited by abscisic acid and sucrose.

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Abbreviations

SS/Sus:

Sucrose synthase

ABA:

Abscisic acid

SqRT-PCR:

Semiquantitative RT-PCR

TRV:

Tobacco rattle virus

PG1:

Polygalacturonase 1

PL1:

Pectate lyase 1

XYL2:

Xylitol dehydrogenase 2

CHS:

Chalcone synthase

CHI:

Chalcone isomerase

DFR:

Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported the China National Science Foundation (Project 31471837, 31272144, 41473004) and the National Key Technology Supported Program of China (Project 2011BAD32B03), the Project of Construction of Innovative Teams and Teacher Career Development for Universities and Colleges under Beijing Municipality (Grant No. IDHT20140509), One Hundred Talent Program of Beijing Science and Technology (Grant No. LIRC201612), and Beijing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. CEFF-PXM2016-014207-000038).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural Application, College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, No.7 Beinong Road, Changping District, Beijing, 102206, People’s Republic of China

      Cheng Zhao, Li-Na Hua, Xiao-Feng Liu, Yuan-Yue Shen & Jia-Xuan Guo

    2. Water Resources and Dryland Farming Laboratory, Institute of Agricultural Environment and Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100081, People’s Republic of China

      Yu-Zhong Li

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    1. Cheng Zhao
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    2. Li-Na Hua
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    Correspondence to Yuan-Yue Shen or Jia-Xuan Guo.

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    Cheng Zhao, Li-Na Hua and Xiao-Feng Liu contributed equally to this work.

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    Zhao, C., Hua, LN., Liu, XF. et al. Sucrose synthase FaSS1 plays an important role in the regulation of strawberry fruit ripening. Plant Growth Regul 81, 175–181 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-016-0189-4

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