Proteomic analysis of apricot fruit during ripening

Abstract

Ripening of climacteric fruits involves a complex network of biochemical and metabolic changes that make them palatable and rich in nutritional and health-beneficial compounds. Since fruit maturation has a profound impact on human nutrition, it has been recently the object of increasing research activity by holistic approaches, especially on model species. Here we report on the original proteomic characterization of ripening in apricot, a widely cultivated species of temperate zones appreciated for its taste and aromas, whose cultivation is yet hampered by specific limitations. Fruits of Prunus armeniaca cv. Vesuviana were harvested at three ripening stages and proteins extracted and resolved by 1D and 2D electrophoresis. Whole lanes from 1D gels were subjected to shot-gun analysis that identified 245 gene products, showing preliminary qualitative differences between maturation stages. In parallel, differential analysis of 2D proteomic maps highlighted 106 spots as differentially represented among variably ripen fruits. Most of these were further identified by means of MALDI-TOF-PMF and nanoLC-ESI-LIT-MS/MS as enzymes involved in main biochemical processes influencing metabolic/structural changes occurring during maturation, i.e. organic acids, carbohydrates and energy metabolism, ethylene biosynthesis, cell wall restructuring and stress response, or as protein species linkable to peculiar fruit organoleptic characteristics. In addition to originally present preliminary information on the main biochemical changes that characterize apricot ripening, this study also provides indications for future marker-assisted selection breeding programs aimed to ameliorate fruit quality.

Fisiología y bioquímica de la maduración del fruto de durazno [<i>Prunus persica</i> (L.) Batsch]. Una Revisión

“…En general el ablandamiento del fruto es un proceso de modificaciones en la estructura de la pared celular donde se presenta despolimerización de glicanos y solubilización de pectina (D'Ambrosio et al, 2013;Fruk et al, 2014), y donde intervienen enzimas como poligalacturonasa (PG), pectinmetilesterasa (PME), endo-1,4-ȕ-glucanasa, Į-arabinosidasa y ȕ-galactosidasa (Rodríguez-Félix et al, 2011) entre otras. La actividad de estas enzimas durante la maduración está relacionada con un cambio en los polisacári-dos de la pared celular; el tiempo y momento de actividad varía entre las enzimas y no siempre están relacionadas con el incremento de los niveles de etileno (Brummell et al, 2004).…”

“…El contenido de ácidos orgánicos en durazno disminuye a medida que el fruto madura (Rodríguez-Félix et al, 2011). Durante la maduración del fruto también se llevan a cabo procesos de síntesis de compuestos volátiles, reducción del contenido de proteí-nas e incremento en la capacidad antioxidante del fruto (D'Ambrosio et al, 2013). El objetivo de esta revisión fue presentar y discutir los principales resultados obtenidos de investigaciones realizadas, sobre los cambios fisiológicos y bioquímicos relacionados con el proceso de maduración del fruto de durazno.…”

Anatomical Observation and Proteomics Analysis of Root Tips of Wild and Cultivated Soybeans

“…And we took 40 wild soybeans and 40 cultivars as two samples separately (Table 2) for balanced mixing (D'Ambrosio et al, 2012).…”

Proteomics in the fruit tree science arena: New insights into fruit defense, development, and ripening

“…Although 2DE has been widely used for fruit proteome analysis, it is now clear that fruit‐derived proteomic analyses have to be further expanded by other gel‐based or gel‐free studies using alternative quantitative approaches (DIGE or iTRAQ, TMT, ICAT, etc. ), or integrated with complimentary proteomic investigations describing PTMs mentioned above.…”