The cytosolic invertase NI6 affects vegetative growth, flowering, fruit set, and yield in tomato

Fil: Coluccio Leskow, Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Biotecnología (IB). Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Coluccio Leskow, Carla. CONICET - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Biotecnología (IB). Hurlingham, Argentina.Fil: Conte, Mariana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Biotecnología (IB). Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Conte, Mariana. CONICET - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Biotecnología (IB). Hurlingham, Argentina.Fil: Del Pozo, Talia. Universidad Mayor. Escuela de Agronomía. Centro Tecnológico de Recursos Vegetales. Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.Fil: Bermúdez, Luisa. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Biotecnología (IB). Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Bermúdez, Luisa. CONICET - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Biotecnología (IB). Hurlingham, Argentina.Fil: Bermúdez, Luisa. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Biología Aplicada y Alimentos. Cátedra de Genética. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Silvestre Lira, Bruno. Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Biociências. Departamento de Botânica. São Paulo, SP, Brazil.Fil: Gramegna, Giovanna. Universidade de São Paulo. Departamento de Botânica. Instituto de Biociências. São Paulo, SP, Brazil.Fil: Baroli, Irene. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental Aplicada (IBBEA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Baroli, Irene. CONICET - Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental Aplicada (IBBEA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Carrari, Fernando. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Biología Aplicada y Alimentos. Cátedra de Genética. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Carrari, Fernando. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE, CONICET-UBA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fil: Carrari, Fernando. CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE, CONICET-UBA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Sucrose metabolism is important for most plants, both as the main source of carbon and via signaling mechanisms that have been proposed for this molecule. A cleaving enzyme, invertase (INV) channels sucrose into sink metabolism. Although acid soluble and insoluble invertases have been largely investigated, studies on the role of neutral invertases (A/N-INV) have lagged behind. Here, we identified a tomato A/N-INV encoding gene (NI6) co-localizing with a previously reported quantitative trait locus (QTL) largely affecting primary carbon metabolism in tomato. Of the eight A/N-INV genes identified in the tomato genome, NI6 mRNA is present in all organs, but its expression was higher in sink tissues (mainly roots and fruits). A NI6-GFP fusion protein localized to the cytosol of mesophyll cells. Tomato NI6- silenced plants showed impaired growth phenotype, delayed flowering and a dramatic reduction in fruit set. Global gene expression and metabolite profile analyses of these plants revealed that NI6 is not only essential for sugar metabolism, but also plays a signaling role in stress adaptation. We also identified major hubs, whose expression patterns were greatly affected by NI6 silencing; these hubs were within the signaling cascade that coordinates carbohydrate metabolism with growth and development in tomato.grafs., tbls., fot

Identification of reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR studies in human cell lines under copper and zinc exposure

Accurate quantification depends on normalization of the measured gene expression data. In particular, gene expression studies with exposure to metals are challenging due their toxicity and redox-active properties. Here, we assessed the stability of potential reference genes in three cell lines commonly used to study metal cell metabolism: Caco-2 (colon), HepG2 (liver) and THP-1 (peripheral blood) under copper (Cu) or zinc (Zn) exposure. We used combined statistical tools to identify the best reference genes from a set of eleven candidates, which included traditional housekeeping genes such as GAPDH and B-ACTIN, in cell lines exposed to high and low, Zn and Cu concentrations. The expression stabilities of ATP5B (ATP synthase) and CYC1 (subunits of the cytochrome) were the highest considering the effect of Zn and Cu treatments whereas SDHA (succinate dehydrogenase) was found to be the most unstable gene. Even though the transcriptional effect of Zn and Cu is very different in term of redox properties, the same best reference genes were identified when Zn or Cu treatments were analyzed together. Our results indicate that ATP5B/CYC1 are the best candidates for reference genes after metal exposure, which can be used as a suitable starting point to evaluate gene expression with other metals or in different cell types in human models

Melatonin triggers metabolic and gene expression changes leading to improved quality traits of two sweet cherry cultivars during cold storage

Sweet cherry is a valuable non-climacteric fruit with elevated phytonutrients, whose fruit quality attributes are prone to rapid deterioration after harvest, especially peel damage and water loss of stem. Here the metabolic and transcriptional response of exogenous melatonin was assessed in two commercial cultivars of sweet cherry (Santina and Royal Rainier) during cold storage. Gene expression profiling revealed that cuticle composition and water movement may underlie the effect of melatonin in delaying weight loss. An effect of melatonin on total soluble solids and lower respiration rate was observed in both cultivars. Melatonin induces overexpression of genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis, which correlates with increased anthocyanin levels and changes in skin color (Chroma). Our results indicate that along with modulating antioxidant metabolism, melatonin improves fruit quality traits by triggering a range of metabolic and gene expression changes, which ultimately contribute to extend sweet cherry postharvest storability.Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT), CONICYT FONDECYT: 11160899, REDI170422, PEP I-2018033, 1171016 FONDAP: 1509000

Comparative Transcriptome Profiling in a Segregating Peach Population with Contrasting Juiciness Phenotypes

Cold storage of fruit is one of the methods most commonly employed to extend the postharvest lifespan of peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch). However, fruit quality in this species is affected negatively by mealiness, a physiological disorder triggered by chilling injury after long periods of exposure to low temperatures during storage and manifested mainly as a lack of juiciness, which ultimately modifies the organoleptic properties of peach fruit. The aim of this study was to identify molecular components and metabolic processes underlying mealiness in susceptible and nonsusceptible segregants. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR profiling were applied to individuals with contrasting juiciness phenotypes in a segregating F-2 population. Our results suggest that mealiness is a multiscale phenomenon, because juicy and mealy fruit display distinctive reprogramming processes affecting translational machinery and lipid, sugar, and oxidative metabolism. The candidate genes identified may be useful tools for further crop improvement

The cytosolic invertase NI6 affects vegetative growth, flowering, fruit set, and yield in tomato

Sucrose metabolism is important for most plants, both as the main source of carbon and via signaling mechanisms that have been proposed for this molecule. A cleaving enzyme, invertase (INV) channels sucrose into sink metabolism. Although acid soluble and insoluble invertases have been largely investigated, studies on the role of neutral invertases (A/N-INV) have lagged behind. Here, we identified a tomato A/N-INV encoding gene (NI6) co-localizing with a previously reported quantitative trait locus (QTL) largely affecting primary carbon metabolism in tomato. Of the eight A/N-INV genes identified in the tomato genome, NI6 mRNA is present in all organs, but its expression was higher in sink tissues (mainly roots and fruits). A NI6-GFP fusion protein localized to the cytosol of mesophyll cells. Tomato NI6-silenced plants showed impaired growth phenotype, delayed flowering and a dramatic reduction in fruit set. Global gene expression and metabolite profile analyses of these plants revealed that NI6 is not only essential for sugar metabolism, but also plays a signaling role in stress adaptation. We also identified major hubs, whose expression patterns were greatly affected by NI6 silencing; these hubs were within the signaling cascade that coordinates carbohydrate metabolism with growth and development in tomato.Fil: Coluccio Leskow, Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Conte, Mariana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Del Pozo, Talia. Universidad Mayor; ChileFil: Bermúdez, Luisa. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Lira, Bruno Silvestre. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Gramegna, Giovanna. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Baroli, Irene Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Burgos, Estanislao. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Zavallo, Diego. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kamenetzky, Laura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Asís, Ramón. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Mauricio. Universidad Mayor; ChileFil: Fernie, Alisdair Robert. Institut Max Planck fur Molekulare Physiologie; AlemaniaFil: Rossi, Maria Magdalena. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Osorio, Sonia. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad de Málaga; EspañaFil: Carrari, Fernando Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin