Profiling of volatile compounds and associated gene expression and enzyme activity during fruit development in two cucumber cultivars

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 23;10(3):e0119444. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119444. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Changes in volatile content, as well as associated gene expression and enzyme activity in developing cucumber fruits were investigated in two Cucumis sativus L. lines (No. 26 and No. 14) that differ significantly in fruit flavor. Total volatile, six-carbon (C6) aldehyde, linolenic and linoleic acid content were higher during the early stages, whereas the nine-carbon (C9) aldehyde content was higher during the latter stages in both lines. Expression of C. sativus hydroperoxide lyase (CsHPL) mirrored 13-hydroperoxide lyase (13-HPL) enzyme activity in variety No. 26, whereas CsHPL expression was correlated with 9-hydroperoxide lyase (9-HPL) enzyme activity in cultivar No. 14. 13-HPL activity decreased significantly, while LOX (lipoxygenase) and 9-HPL activity increased along with fruit ripening in both lines, which accounted for the higher C6 and C9 aldehyde content at 0-6 day post anthesis (dpa) and 9-12 dpa, respectively. Volatile compounds from fruits at five developmental stages were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), and heatmaps of volatile content, gene expression and enzyme activity were constructed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehyde-Lyases / genetics
  • Aldehyde-Lyases / metabolism*
  • Aldehydes / metabolism*
  • Cucumis sativus / classification
  • Cucumis sativus / genetics*
  • Cucumis sativus / growth & development
  • Cucumis sativus / metabolism
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism*
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Fruit / genetics
  • Fruit / growth & development
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Linoleic Acid / analysis*
  • Lipoxygenase / genetics
  • Lipoxygenase / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • alpha-Linolenic Acid / analysis*

Substances

  • Aldehydes
  • RNA, Messenger
  • alpha-Linolenic Acid
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Linoleic Acid
  • Lipoxygenase
  • Aldehyde-Lyases
  • hydroperoxide lyase

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Scientific and Technological Project in Shaanxi Province (No. 2013K02-04), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31071813), the Technology Foundation for Selected Overseas Chinese Scholar for Generous, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. QN2011088). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.