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Transcription analysis of apple fruit development using cDNA microarrays

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Abstract

The knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying fruit quality traits is fundamental to devise efficient marker-assisted selection strategies and to improve apple breeding. In this study, cDNA microarray technology was used to identify genes whose expression changes during fruit development and maturation thus potentially involved in fruit quality traits. The expression profile of 1,536 transcripts was analysed by microarray hybridisation. A total of 177 genes resulted to be differentially expressed in at least one of the developmental stages considered. Gene ontology annotation was employed to univocally describe gene function, while cluster analysis allowed grouping genes according to their expression profile. An overview of the transcriptional changes and of the metabolic pathways involved in fruit development was obtained. As expected, August and September are the two months where the largest number of differentially expressed genes was observed. In particular, 85 genes resulted to be up-regulated in September. Even though most of the differentially expressed genes are involved in primary metabolism, several other interesting functions were detected and will be presented.

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Acknowledgements

This project was carried out with the financial support from the Commission of the European Communities (contract no. QLK5-CT-2002-01492), Directorate-General Research—Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Program. This manuscript does not necessarily reflect the Commission's views and in no way anticipates its future policy in this area.

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Author notes

  1. F. Costa

    Present address: Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy

    V. Soglio & L. Gianfranceschi

  2. Department of Fruit Tree and Woody Plant Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Fanin 46, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    F. Costa

  3. Plant Research International, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    J. W. Molthoff, W. M. J. Weemen-Hendriks & H. J. Schouten

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  1. V. Soglio
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Correspondence to L. Gianfranceschi.

Additional information

Communicated by E. Dirlewanger

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Table S1

Sequences of primers used in quantitative RT-PCR assays (DOC 36 kb)

Table S2

List of ESTs belonging to each contig (DOC 62 kb)

Table S3

Putative function of the 177 differentially expressed genes and relative GO IDs, according to Plant Genome Database (www.plantgdb.org) (XLS 69 kb)

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Soglio, V., Costa, F., Molthoff, J.W. et al. Transcription analysis of apple fruit development using cDNA microarrays. Tree Genetics & Genomes 5, 685–698 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-009-0219-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-009-0219-8

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