Skip to main content
Log in

Ethylene receptor expression is regulated during fruit ripening, flower senescence and abscission

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Plant Molecular Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using theArabidopsis ethylene receptorETR1 as a probe, we have isolated a tomato homologue (tETR) from a ripening cDNA library. The predicted amino acid sequence is 70% identical toETR1 and homologous to a variety of bacterial two component response regulators over the histidine kinase domain. Sequencing of four separate cDNAs indicates that tETR lacks the carboxyl terminal response domain and is identical to that encoded by the tomatoNever ripe gene. Ribonuclease protection showed tETR mRNA was undetectable in unripe fruit or pre-senescent flowers, increased in abundance during the early stages of ripening, flower senescence, and in abscission zones, and was greatly reduced in fruit of ripening mutants deficient in ethylene synthesis or response. These results suggest that changes in ethylene sensitivity are mediated by modulation of receptor levels during development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Brewer AB, Murray E, Staeben M: RNase ONE: Advantages for nuclease protection assays. Promega Notes 38: 1–7 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Chang C, Kwok SF, Bleecker AB, Meyerowitz EM:Arabidopsis ethylene-response gene ETR1: similarity of product to two-component regulators.Science 262: 539–544 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Chang C, Meyerowitz EM: The ethylene hormone response inArabidopsis: A eukaryotic two-component signalling system. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92: 4129–4133 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ecker JR: The ethylene signal transduction pathway in plants. Science 268: 667–674 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hua J, Chang C, Sun Q, Meyerowitz EM: Ethylene insensitivity conferred byArabidopsis ERS gene. Science 269: 1712–1714 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kende H: Ethylene biosynthesis. Ann Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 44: 283–307 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kieber JJ, Rothenberg M, Roman C, Feldmann KA, Ecker JR:CTR1, a negative regulator of the ethylene response pathway inArabidopsis encodes a member of the Raf family of protein kinases. Cell 72: 427–441 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Knapp J, Moureau P, Schuch W, Grierson D: Organisation and expression of polygalacturonase and other ripening related genes in Ailsa Craig "Never ripe" and "ripening inhibitor" tomato mutants. Plant Mol Biol 12: 105–116 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lanahan MB, Yen HC, Giovannoni JJ, Klee HJ: TheNever ripe mutation blocks ethylene perception in tomato. The Plant Cell 6: 521–530 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  10. McGlasson WB: Ethylene and fruit ripening. HortScience 20: 51–54 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  11. McGlasson WB, Wade NL, Adato I: In Phytohormones and related compounds— a comprehensive treatise, Vol II. Letham DS, Goodwin PB, Higgins TJV (eds), Elsevier, Amsterdam, p447–493 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Parkinson JS, Kofoid EC: Communication modules in bacterial signalling proteins. Annu Rev Genet 26: 71–112 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Picton S, Gray JE, Barton S, AbuBaker U, Lowe A, Grierson D: cDNA cloning and characterisation of novel ripening-related mRNAs with altered patterns of accumulation in theripening inhibitor (rin) tomato ripening mutant. Plant Mol Biol 23: 193–207 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Roberts JA, Schindler CB, Tucker GA: Ethylene-promoted flower abscission and the possible role of an inhibitor. Planta 160: 159–163 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Schaller GE, Bleecker AB: Ethylene-binding sites generated in yeast expressing theArabidopsis ETR 1 gene. Science 270: 1809–1811 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Stock JB, Ninfa AJ, Stock AM: Protein phosphorylation and regulation of adaptive response in bacteria. Microbiol Rev 53: 450–490 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Trewavas AJ: Growth substance sensitivity: the limiting factor in plant development. Physiol Plant 55: 60–72 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tucker GA, Schindler CB, Roberts JA: Flower abscission in mutant tomato plants. Planta 160: 164–167 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Wilkinson JQ, Lanahan MB, Yen H-C, Giovannoni JJ, Klee HJ, An ethylene-inducible component of signal transduction encoded byNever ripe. Science 270: 1807–1809 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yen H-C, Sanghyeob L, Tanksley SD, Lanahan MB, Klee HJ, Giovannoni JJ: The tomatoNever-ripe locus regulates ethylene-inducible gene expression and is linked to a homologue of theArabidopsis ETR1 gene. Plant Physiol 107: 1343–1353 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Payton, S., Fray, R.G., Brown, S. et al. Ethylene receptor expression is regulated during fruit ripening, flower senescence and abscission. Plant Mol Biol 31, 1227–1231 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040839

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040839

Key words

Navigation