Metabolic profiling during peach fruit development and ripening reveals the metabolic networks that underpin each developmental stage.
Fruit from rosaceous species collectively display a great variety of flavors and textures as well as a generally high content of nutritionally beneficial metabolites. However, relatively little analysis of metabolic networks in rosaceous fruit has been reported. Among rosaceous species, peach (Prunus persica) has stone fruits composed of a juicy mesocarp and lignified endocarp. Here, peach mesocarp metabolic networks were studied across development using metabolomics and analysis of key regulatory enzymes. Principal component analysis of peach metabolic composition revealed clear metabolic shifts from early through late development stages and subsequently during postharvest ripening. Early developmental stages were characterized by a substantial decrease in protein abundance and high levels of bioactive polyphenols and amino acids, which are substrates for the phenylpropanoid and lignin pathways during stone hardening. Sucrose levels showed a large increase during development, reflecting translocation from the leaf, while the importance of galactinol and raffinose is also inferred. Our study further suggests that posttranscriptional mechanisms are key for metabolic regulation at early stages. In contrast to early developmental stages, a decrease in amino acid levels is coupled to an induction of transcripts encoding amino acid and organic acid catabolic enzymes during ripening. These data are consistent with the mobilization of amino acids to support respiration. In addition, sucrose cycling, suggested by the parallel increase of transcripts encoding sucrose degradative and synthetic enzymes, appears to operate during postharvest ripening. When taken together, these data highlight singular metabolic programs for peach development and may allow the identification of key factors related to agronomic traits of this important crop species.
Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Rosario 2000, Argentina.
Verónica A
VA
Lombardo
Sonia
S
Osorio
Julia
J
Borsani
Martin A
MA
Lauxmann
Claudia A
CA
Bustamante
Claudio O
CO
Budde
Carlos S
CS
Andreo
María V
MV
Lara
Alisdair R
AR
Fernie
María F
MF
Drincovich
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D055442:Metabolome; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D027861:Prunus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011887:Raffinose / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
D000596:Amino Acids; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D004187:Disaccharides; D004798:Enzymes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D059808:Polyphenols; D013402:Sugar Alcohols; C013536:6 beta-galactinol; D013395:Sucrose; D011887:Raffinose