Identification of key regulatory elements of fruit ripening in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)

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In Canada, the grape and wine industry has grown significantly in the past few decades, gaining both domestic and international recognition. The economic value of grapes is strongly related to fruit quality, which is determined by a plethora of compounds that accumulate during fruit ripening. Ripening represents a summation of processes that include molecular, chemical and physical changes. These processes are finely regulated by climatic conditions. The goal of my research program is to identify the underlying biological mechanisms (key genes and metabolites) that trigger and regulate ripening in the fruit tissues, as well as the molecular pathways that transduce environmental signals within the plant and modulate cell metabolism and fruit quality. My team of students and I will evaluate field and culture treatments to understand which solutes (i.e. sugars, abscisic acid) originating from the plant or synthesized in the berry itself are necessary to induce the major ripening processes (fruit softening, accumulation of pigments and volatile organic compounds) that determine fruit quality. The molecular pathways affected by these treatments will be identified and isolated in order to identify key genes involved in the signaling pathway. The effect of environmental factors such as temperature and light in regulating the level of sugars, abscisic acid and the key signaling genes will be investigated through open field and greenhouse experiments where these factors will be manipulated, and the fruit response will be evaluated at the gene expression and metabolite level. This program will combine robust field and laboratory experiments with a systems-level characterization of developing fruit, also utilizing advanced platforms for transcriptome (RNA-seq) and metabolite (GC-MS, LC-MS, HPLC) analyses. The knowledge generated, integrated with subsequent applied experiments, will benefit grape growers in BC, Ontario and other parts of Canada by developing new practices for improving fruit ripening and optimizing fruit quality in vineyards. Finally, the program will provide an excellent training platform in viticulture for MSc, PhD and undergraduate students. These HQP will learn and profit from the multidisciplinary nature of this program, which will provide training opportunities to develop research skills in plant biology and genomics, while also advancing knowledge in the field of applied physiology.