Biochemical and Molecular Evaluation of Low Temperature Acclimation in Ripening Tomato Fruit

本研究将探讨成熟番茄低温驯化的生化和分子机制，包括：(1)细胞壁组成、相关酶和碳水化合物积累；(2)低温敏感系和耐冷系驯化过程中低温诱导蛋白的测定以及与驯化相关的转录活性变化。冻害是一种常见的生理失调，发生在热带植物，如番茄，暴露在低但不冻结的温度下。由于在成熟过程中不利的变化，暴露于冷害的水果减少了储存时间和质量。对低温损伤的适应导致新蛋白质的积累，这些蛋白质可能参与乙烯生物合成、细胞壁水解、果胶片段的周转和/或作为低温保护剂的碳水化合物的积累。该项目将强调驯化过程的早期阶段和与耐冷性有关的机制，这些尚未得到很好的表征。

The research will investigate the biochemical and molecular mechanism(s) involved in low temperature acclimation of ripening tomato which include: (1) cell wall composition and associated enzymes, and carbohydrate accumulation; (2) determination of chilling - induced proteins during acclimation in both chilling susceptible and tolerant lines and changes in the transcriptional activity related to acclimation. %%% Chilling injury is a common physiological disorder which occurs upon exposing tropical plants, such as tomato, to low but non- freezing temperatures. Fruits exposed to chilling injury have reduced storage length, as well as quality, due to adverse alterations in ripening process. Acclimation to chilling injury leads to accumulation of new proteins that may be involved in ethylene biosynthesis, cell wall hydrolysis, turnover of pectic fragments, and/or accumulation of carbohydrates which serve as cryoprotectants. The project will emphasize the early stages of acclimation process and mechanisms related to chilling tolerance which are not well characterized.