Ethylene and fruit ripening: from illumination gas to the control of gene expression, more than a century of discoveries

Abstract

The effects of ethylene on plants have been recognized since the Nineteenth Century and it is widely known as the phytohormone responsible for fruit ripening and for its involvement in a number of plant growth and development processes. Elucidating the mechanisms involved in the ripening of climacteric fruit and the role that ethylene plays in this process have been central to fruit production and the improvement of fruit quality. The biochemistry, genetics and physiology of ripening has been extensively studied in economically important fruit crops and a considerable amount of information is available which ranges from the ethylene biosynthesis pathway to the mechanisms of perception, signaling and control of gene expression. However, there is still much to be discovered about these processes and the objective of this review is to present a brief historic account of how ethylene became the focus of fruit ripening research as well as the development and the state-of-art of these studies at both biochemical and genetic levels.

Polyamines in conventional and organic vegetables exposed to exogenous ethylene

“…An explanation could be inferred to lower amount of available SAM (Sadenosylmethionine), a common precursor in the synthesis of both PAs and ethylene. Alternatively, the phenomenon can be attributed to the presence of different concentrations of aaminobutyric acid (GABA), which regulates the endogenous levels of ethylene (Chaves & de Mello-Farias, 2006). Research conducted on pumpkin seedlings showed that Spd can modify the biosynthesis of ethylene, leading to an increase of plant tolerance to salt stress by decreasing the levels of gene transcripts of enzyme precursors (Li et al, 2013).…”

Cross-talk between sulfur assimilation and ethylene signaling in plants

“…37,38 Ethylene before being recognized as a plant hormone played a role in the history of agriculture. The historical techniques to promote fruit ripening are ancient Egyptians cutting sycamore figs and the Chinese burning incense to ripen pears, 39,40 all of these practices released ethylene gas, which promoted fruit ripening. It was in 1795 that ethylene was combined with chlorine gas to produce oil of the Dutch chemists.…”

“…The chronology of events has been conveyed in great detail in the works of Abeles et al 38 and Chaves and de Mello-Farias. 40 The biosynthesis of ethylene occurs through a relatively simple metabolic pathway that has been extensively studied and well development instead functions to produce what is known as stress ethylene. 57 The functions of normal and stress ethylene differ considerably although both are produced by the same pathway.…”

Ethylene Upregulates Auxin Biosynthesis inArabidopsisSeedlings to Enhance Inhibition of Root Cell Elongation

“…This volatile hydrocarbon molecule (C 2 H 4 ) is best known for triggering fruit ripening (reviewed in Chaves and de Mello-Farias, 2006), but it also plays a crucial role during root development (reviewed in Hussain and Roberts, 2002). Blocking ethylene synthesis or signaling disrupts the ability of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) roots to penetrate compact soil or even loose sand (Clark et al, 1999;Hussain et al, 1999).…”