Project description:Table grapes cv. Cardinal are highly perishable and their quality deteriorates during postharvest storage at low temperature mainly because of sensitivity to fungal decay and senescence of rachis. The application of a 3-day CO2 treatment with 20 kPa CO2 at 0C reduced total decay and retained fruit quality in early and late-harvested table grapes during postharvest storage. In order to study the transcriptional responsiveness of table grapes to low temperature and high CO2 levels in the first stage of storage and how the maturity stage affect these changes, we have performed a comparative large-scale transcriptional analysis. In the first stage of storage, low temperature led to a significantly intense change in grape skin transcriptome irrespective of fruit maturity, although there were different changes within each stage. In the case of CO2 treated samples, in comparison to fruit at time zero, only slight differences were observed. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that major modifications in the transcriptome profile of early- and late-harvested grapes stored at 0C are linked to biotic and abiotic stress-responsive terms. However, in both cases there is a specific reprogramming of the transcriptome during the first stage of storage at 0C in order to withstand the cold stress. Thus, genes involved in gluconeogenesis, photosynthesis, mRNA translation and lipid transport were up-regulated in the case of early-harvested grapes, and genes related to protein folding stability and intracellular membrane trafficking in late-harvested grapes. The beneficial effect of high CO2 treatment maintaining table grape quality seems to be an active process requiring the induction of several transcription factors and kinases in early-harvested grapes, and the activation of processes associated to the maintenance of energy in late-harvested grapes.
Project description:Table grapes cv. Cardinal are highly perishable and their quality deteriorates during postharvest storage at low temperature mainly because of sensitivity to fungal decay and senescence of rachis. The application of a 3-day CO2 treatment with 20 kPa CO2 at 0C reduced total decay and retained fruit quality in early and late-harvested table grapes during postharvest storage. In order to study the transcriptional responsiveness of table grapes to low temperature and high CO2 levels in the first stage of storage and how the maturity stage affect these changes, we have performed a comparative large-scale transcriptional analysis. In the first stage of storage, low temperature led to a significantly intense change in grape skin transcriptome irrespective of fruit maturity, although there were different changes within each stage. In the case of CO2 treated samples, in comparison to fruit at time zero, only slight differences were observed. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that major modifications in the transcriptome profile of early- and late-harvested grapes stored at 0C are linked to biotic and abiotic stress-responsive terms. However, in both cases there is a specific reprogramming of the transcriptome during the first stage of storage at 0C in order to withstand the cold stress. Thus, genes involved in gluconeogenesis, photosynthesis, mRNA translation and lipid transport were up-regulated in the case of early-harvested grapes, and genes related to protein folding stability and intracellular membrane trafficking in late-harvested grapes. The beneficial effect of high CO2 treatment maintaining table grape quality seems to be an active process requiring the induction of several transcription factors and kinases in early-harvested grapes, and the activation of processes associated to the maintenance of energy in late-harvested grapes. Table grapes harvested at two maturity stages (early and late). 3 biological replicates. Early-harvested (MI:12.45) : Time zero, 3 days air 0C, 3 days high CO2 levels 0C. Late-harvested (MI: 41.08): Time zero, 3 days air 0C, 3 days high CO2 levels 0C.
Project description:Anthocyanins, total phenols, soluble sugar and fruit shape play a significant role in determining the distinct fruit quality and customer preference. However, for the majority of fruit species, little is known about the transcriptomics and underlying regulatory networks that control the generation of overall quality during fruit growth and ripening. This study incorporated the quality-related transcriptome data from 6 ecological zones across 3 fruit development and maturity phases of Chardonnay cultivars. With the help of this dataset, we were able to build a complex regulatory network that may be used to identify important structural genes and transcription factors that control the anthocyanins, total phenols, soluble sugars and fruit shape in grapes. Overall, our findings set the groundwork to improve grape quality in addition to offering novel views on quality control during grape development and ripening.
Project description:Somatic variation is a valuable source of trait diversity in clonally propagated crops. In grapevine, which has been clonally propagated worldwide for centuries, important phenotypes such as white berry colour are the result of genetic changes caused by transposable elements. Additionally, epiallele formation may play a role in determining geo-specific (‘terroir’) differences in grapes and thus ultimately in wine. This genomic plasticity might be co-opted for crop improvement via somatic embryogenesis, but that depends on a species-specific understanding of the epigenetic regulation of transposable element (TE) expression and silencing in these cultures. For this reason, we used whole-genome bisulphite sequencing, mRNA sequencing and small RNA sequencing to study the epigenetic status and expression of TEs in embryogenic callus, in comparison with leaf tissue.
Project description:Background: Grape cultivars and wines are distinguishable by their color, flavor and aroma profiles. Omic analyses (transcripts, proteins and metabolites) are powerful tools for assessing biochemical differences in biological systems. Results: Berry skins of red- (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir) and white-skinned (Chardonnay, Semillon) wine grapes were harvested near optimum maturity from the same experimental vineyard and Ë?Brix-to-titratable acidity ratio. Identical sample aliquots were analyzed for transcripts by grapevine whole-genome oligonucleotide microarray and RNA-seq technologies, proteins by nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, and metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Principal components analysis of each of five Omic technologies showed similar results across cultivars in all Omic datasets. Comparison of the processed data of genes mapped in RNA-seq and microarray data revealed a strong Pearson's correlation (0.80). The exclusion of probesets associated with genes with potential for cross-hybridization on the microarray improved the correlation to 0.93. The overall concordance of protein with transcript data was low with a Pearson's correlation of 0.27 and 0.24 for the RNA-seq and microarray data, respectively. Integration of metabolite with protein and transcript data produced an expected model of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which distinguished red from white grapes, yet provided detail of individual cultivar differences. Conclusions: The five Omic technologies were consistent in distinguishing cultivar variation. There was high concordance between transcriptomic technologies, but generally protein abundance did not correlate well with transcript abundance. The integration of multiple high-throughput Omic datasets revealed complex biochemical variation amongst five cultivars of an ancient and economically important crop species. Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Semillon berries were harvested from Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station Valley Road Vineyard, Reno, NV, USA. Whole-genome microarray analysis was used to assess the transcriptomic response of berry skins at harvest, approximately 24 °Brix (2011 vintage). Vines were grown under water deficit and well-watered conditions. At least two clusters harvested from non-adjacent vines were used for each of five experimental replicates.
Project description:Background: Grape cultivars and wines are distinguishable by their color, flavor and aroma profiles. Omic analyses (transcripts, proteins and metabolites) are powerful tools for assessing biochemical differences in biological systems. Results: Berry skins of red- (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir) and white-skinned (Chardonnay, Semillon) wine grapes were harvested near optimum maturity from the same experimental vineyard and ˚Brix-to-titratable acidity ratio. Identical sample aliquots were analyzed for transcripts by grapevine whole-genome oligonucleotide microarray and RNA-seq technologies, proteins by nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, and metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Principal components analysis of each of five Omic technologies showed similar results across cultivars in all Omic datasets. Comparison of the processed data of genes mapped in RNA-seq and microarray data revealed a strong Pearson's correlation (0.80). The exclusion of probesets associated with genes with potential for cross-hybridization on the microarray improved the correlation to 0.93. The overall concordance of protein with transcript data was low with a Pearson's correlation of 0.27 and 0.24 for the RNA-seq and microarray data, respectively. Integration of metabolite with protein and transcript data produced an expected model of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which distinguished red from white grapes, yet provided detail of individual cultivar differences. Conclusions: The five Omic technologies were consistent in distinguishing cultivar variation. There was high concordance between transcriptomic technologies, but generally protein abundance did not correlate well with transcript abundance. The integration of multiple high-throughput Omic datasets revealed complex biochemical variation amongst five cultivars of an ancient and economically important crop species.
Project description:Sulphur is used as a food preservative, especially throughout the table grape and wine industries, <br>however there is increasing concern as to the health rises associated with human consumption. <br>Thus, we investigated the transcript abundance changes in grapes treated with sulfur dioxide and <br>other preservative compounds, compared to control treatments. Export quality, red-skinned M-^QCrimson<br> SeedlessM-^R grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) were harvested at commercial maturity from one vineyard <br>in the Swan Valley region of Western Australia. At least 15 kg grapes per treatment were <br>completely immersed in the treatment solution (? 1 min) and allowed to dry on racks before <br>being weighed in to 7 x 2 kg lined export cartons, without sulphur pads. Once packed, cartons <br>were immediately placed in 2 M-0C storage for up to 56 days and once cool, commercial <br>SO2-generating pads were placed into cartons for SO2 treatment. The salicylic acid (SA,<br> 25 mM), methyl jasmonate (MJ, 5mM) and their combination (25 mM SA + 5 mM MJ) were <br>dissolved in 0.5 % (v/v) dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). A 0.5 % solution of DMSO was used<br> as a control treatment. An additional, untreated control for sulphur-treated berries was used.<br>Microarrays were performed in duplicate for the 6 treatments, Sulfur dioxide (plus untreated <br>control), SA, MJ, and the combined SAMJ treatment (plus DMSO control) on grape berries <br>after 21 days of treatment post harvest. The results indcate a large scale re-programing of <br>the grape berry transcritpome, similar to that which has been observed for prolonged <br>exposure to harsh oxidative stress conditions.