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Acidic alpha galactosidase during the maturation and cold storage of cherry tomatoes

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Abstract

Acidic alpha galactosidase appears to have multiple roles in cherry tomato Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme fruit development and post-harvest storage. The localization of the enzyme and its activity suggest that enzyme accumulation in seeds during development probably serves as a provision for germination. However, it is well known that alpha galactosidase also participates in cell wall degradation, raffinose class oligosaccharide metabolism and in cold acclimation in fruits kept at cold storage. Both the enzyme activity and gene transcript accumulation were elevated at the mature green stage (478.73 nm nitrophenol/min g FW and 0.245, respectively), the cold storage at 5 °C only the alpha galactosidase transcription levels were considerably elevated (210.80 nm nitrophenol/min g FW and 0.492 relative transcript accumulation) while at 10 °C for 120 h considerably affected both the enzyme activity and transcription levels (402.06 nm nitrophenol/min g FW and 0.596, respectively). Significant correlation was found between the loss of firmness of the fruits and the levels of soluble solids and the accumulation of transcripts of the alpha galactosidase gene. Finally, it is suggested that only one isoenzyme form of acidic alpha galactosidase is active during the maturation process in the cherry tomatoes of the cv. Concita. In conclusion, our findings suggest that alpha galactosidase contributes, along with other hydrolases, in several metabolic processes closely connected to the quality of tomato fruits during maturation and post-harvest storage.

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Abbreviations

aGal:

Alpha galactosidase

MG:

Mature green

Br:

Breaker

RR:

Red ripe

5d5 °C:

Fruits stored at 5 °C for 120 h

5d10 °C:

Fruits stored at 10 °C for 120 h UBQ, Ubiquitin

r18s:

Ribosomal 18s subunit

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Morphology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855, Votanikos, Athens, Greece

      Georgios Tsaniklidis, Argirios Benovias & Georgios Aivalakis

    2. Department of Agricultural Technology, Technological Institute of Kalamata, Antikalamos, Kalamata, Greece

      Costas Delis

    Authors
    1. Georgios Tsaniklidis
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    2. Argirios Benovias
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    3. Costas Delis
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    4. Georgios Aivalakis
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    Correspondence to Georgios Tsaniklidis.

    Additional information

    Communicated by J. Gao.

    G. Tsaniklidis and A. Benovias contributed equally to this study.

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    Tsaniklidis, G., Benovias, A., Delis, C. et al. Acidic alpha galactosidase during the maturation and cold storage of cherry tomatoes. Acta Physiol Plant 38, 57 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-016-2075-0

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-016-2075-0

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