Activity of Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase and Gene Expression in Peach Cultivars with Different Flesh Types during Postharvest Storage
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Abstract:
Soft flesh peach ‘Yuhuasanhao’ (Prumus persica) and stony hard peach ‘Jianayan’ (Prumus persica) were used as test materials, and the changes in the ethylene production, respiration rate, activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), and the gene expression of three mitochondrial DNA encoded subunits of COX (COX I, COX II, and COX III) in peach fruit with different flesh types during postharvest storage were studied. The results showed that during postharvest storage, the firmness of 'Yuhuasanhao' peach fruit decreased continuously, and the ethylene production and respiration rate peaked during the late storage period. The firmness of 'Jianayan' peach fruit decreased slowly, with low ethylene production and a stable respiration rate. For both the peach cultivars with different flesh types, the activities of COX increased continuously at the early stage and decreased at the later stage of storage. The activity of COX and the relative expressions of the three mitochondrial DNA encoded subunits of COX were lower in 'Yuhuasanhao' than those in 'Jianayan'. COX played an important role in the early storage period, providing enough energy for postharvest ripening of the peach fruits. At the later stage of the storage period, the expression of the COX genes declined, COX activity was decreased, and there was an imbalance in cellular metabolism. These results suggest the existence of certain intrinsic relationships between COX and peach fruit softening and senescence during the postharvest period.
