Project description:The postharvest senescence processes of citrus fruits were analyzed transcriptomic. The present study was aimed to: further uncover the rind-flesh communication of hesperidium; characterize the differential storage behaviors of different citrus varieties; reveal the important changes during storing process; and demonstrate the specific non-climacteric characteristics of citrus fruits. We chose four major table fruit varieties of citrus: satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc) (M), ponkan (Citrus reticulata Blanco) (K), newhall navel orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) (O) and shatian pummelo (Citrus grandis Osbeck) (P). They were sampled every 10 days during 50 DAH (days after harvest), almost covering the commercial storage period of loose-skin citrus.
Project description:Fruit ripening in Citrus is not well understood at the molecular level. Knowledge of the regulatory mechanism of citrus fruit ripening at the post-transcriptional level in particular is lacking. Here, we comparatively analyzed the miRNAs and their targeted genes in a spontaneous late-ripening mutant, ?Fengwan? sweet orange (MT) (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck), and its wild-type counterpart ('Fengjie 72-1', WT). Using high-throughput sequencing of small RNAs and RNA degradome tags, we identified 107 known and 21 novel miRNAs, as well as 225 target genes. A total of 24 miRNAs (16 known miRNAs and 8 novel miRNAs) were shown to be differentially expressed between MT and WT. The expression pattern of several key miRNAs and their target genes during citrus fruit development and ripening stages was examined. Csi-miR156k, csi-miR159 and csi-miR166d suppressed specific transcription factors (GAMYBs, SPLs and ATHBs) that are supposed to be important regulators involved in citrus fruit development and ripening. In the present study, miRNA-mediated silencing of target genes was found under complicated and sensitive regulation in citrus fruit. The identification of miRNAs and their target genes provide new clues for future investigation of mechanisms that regulate citrus fruit ripening.