title: Involvement of AOX and UCP pathways in the post-harvest ripening of papaya fruits.
abstract: Enhanced respiration during ripening in climacteric fruits is sometimes associated with an uncoupling between the ATP synthesis and the mitochondrial electron transport chain. While the participation of two energy-dissipating systems, one of which is mediated by the alternative oxidase (AOX) and the other mediated by the uncoupling protein (UCP), has been linked to fruit ripening, the relation between the activation of both mitochondrial uncoupling systems with the transient increase of ethylene synthesis (ethylene peak) remains unclear. To elucidate this question, ethylene emission and the two uncoupling (AOX and UCP) pathways were monitored in harvested papaya fruit during the ripening, from green to fully yellow skin. The results confirmed the typical climacteric behavior for papaya fruit: an initial increase in endogenous ethylene emission which reaches a maximum (peak) in the intermediate ripening stage, before finally declining to a basal level in ripe fruit. Respiration of intact fruit also increased and achieved higher levels at the end of ripening. On the other hand, in purified mitochondria extracted from fruit pulp the total respiration and respiratory control decrease while an increase in the participation of AOX and UCP pathways was markedly evident during papaya ripening. There was an increase in the AOX capacity during the transition from green fruit to the intermediate stage that accompanied the transient ethylene peak, while the O2 consumption triggered by UCP activation increased by 80% from the beginning to end stage of fruit ripening. Expression analyses of AOX (AOX1 and 2) and UCP (UCP1-5) genes revealed that the increases in the AOX and UCP capacities were linked to a higher expression of AOX1 and UCP (mainly UCP1) genes, respectively. In silico promoter analyses of both genes showed the presence of ethylene-responsive cis-elements in UCP1 and UCP2 genes. Overall, the data suggest a differential activation of AOX and UCP pathways in regulation related to the ethylene peak and induction of specific genes such as AOX1 and UCP1.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mazorra
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: G M C
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ciências Físicas, Universidade Estadual no Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ciências Físicas, Universidade Estadual no Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE 60455760, Brazil.
authors.forename: K D C
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Saraiva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE 60455760, Brazil.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ciências Físicas, Universidade Estadual no Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570000, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A P
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1749016, Portugal.
authors.forename: J D C
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Arrabaça
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE 60455760, Brazil.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013602, Brazil. Electronic address: jugo@uenf.br.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D029441:Carica / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099188:Alternative Oxidase
chemical_list: D005030:Ethylenes; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D010940:Plant Proteins; D000099188:Alternative Oxidase; C036216:ethylene
keywords: Alternative oxidase; Energy-dissipating systems; Ethylene; Respiration; Uncoupling protein