A Transcript and Metabolite Atlas of Blackcurrant Fruit Development Highlights Hormonal Regulation and Reveals the Role of Key Transcription Factors

Abstract

Blackcurrant fruit collected at six stages of development were assessed for changes in gene expression using custom whole transcriptome microarrays and for variation in metabolite content using a combination of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Principal components analysis demonstrated that fruit development could be clearly defined according to their transcript or metabolite profiles. During early developmental stages, metabolite profiles were dominated by amino acids and tannins, whilst transcript profiles were enriched in functions associated with cell division, anatomical structure morphogenesis and cell wall metabolism. During mid fruit development, fatty acids accumulated and transcript profiles were consistent with seed and embryo development. At the later stages, sugars and anthocyanins accumulated consistent with transcript profiles that were associated with secondary metabolism. Transcript data also indicated active signaling during later stages of fruit development. A targeted analysis of signaling networks revealed a dynamic activation and repression of almost 60 different transcripts encoding transcription factors across the course of fruit development, many of which have been demonstrated as pivotal to controlling such processes in other species. Transcripts associated with cytokinin and gibberellin were highly abundant at early fruit development, whilst those associated with ABA and ethylene tended to be more abundant at later stages. The data presented here provides an insight into fruit development in blackcurrant and provides a foundation for further work in the elucidation of the genetic basis of fruit quality.

Compositional Diversity among Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) Cultivars Originating from European Countries

“…In our previous research, the weather condition in the last months of growth before harvest showed special importance for blackcurrant fruit development, , since several main primary (sugars) and secondary (anthocyanins) metabolites start accumulating in the last stage of ripening of blackcurrant . In the present study, exceptionally high temperatures including both maximum day time and minimum night time temperatures were observed from mid-July to mid-August of year 2014, which was the last month before harvesting (Supplemental Table 4).…”

Influence of Quercetin-Ferrum Complex on the Biochemical Profile of Berry Crops In Vitro

“…This can be explained by the features of the secondary metabolism of black currant: raspberry plants are characterized by a significant content and variability of the flavonoid complex. Unlike raspberry, black currant plants with relatively low flavonoid concentrations contain significant amounts of catechins, leukoanthocyanidins and chlorogenic acid conjugates [Jarret et al, 2018]. Thus, the enzymatic system of raspberry is better balanced for quercitin transformation and glucosylation with the formation of a wide range of diverse glucosides.…”

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis of R. nigrum cv. Aldoniai in Response to Blackcurrant Reversion Virus Infection

“…The nutritional and medicinal values of currant fruits are indisputable, and have stimulated research on the synthesis of secondary metabolites in fruits. Several genetic studies related to fruit ripening and secondary metabolite synthesis have been performed based on RNA transcripts [ 18 , 21 , 22 ]. Our main attention in this study was concentrated on the ecological aspect of plant cultivation since BRV pathogen and BRD cannot be treated and cause great economic losses.…”