title: Transformation of a marker-free and vector-free antisense ACC oxidase gene cassette into melon via the pollen-tube pathway.
abstract: Melons have short shelf-lives due to fruit ripening caused by ethylene production. The 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase gene is essential for ethylene biosynthesis. As fruit ripening in other fruit crops can be deterred by down-regulation of ACC oxidase expression, we have carried out similar work to improve fruit quality and shelf-life of the melon Cucumis melo. A marker-free and vector-free antisense 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase construct was transformed into melon via the pollen-tube pathway. Based on phenotype analysis together with RT-PCR data, a transformation frequency of 0.7% was achieved. The transgenic fruits showed respiration rate and endogenous ethylene production level at approx. 15 and 6% of those of wild-type fruits, respectively. These fruits also demonstrated improved flesh firmness and exhibited extended shelf-life of 30 days compared to less than 12 days for the wild type fruits.
authors.affiliation: Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Herbage & Endemic Crop Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, 010021, Hohhot, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jinfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Yiding
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Baojun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Liquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Agula
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasi
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016375:Antisense Elements (Genetics); D019069:Cell Respiration; D028463:Cucumis melo / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D053205:Pollen Tube / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D016375:Antisense Elements (Genetics); D005030:Ethylenes; C036216:ethylene; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; C059460:1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase