Biochemical basis of high‐temperature inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis in ripening tomato fruits

Abstract

Biggs, M. S., Woodson, W. R. and Handa, A. K. 1988. Biochemical basis of high‐temperature inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis in ripening tomato fruits. Physiol. Plant. 72: 572578 Incubation of fruits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Rutgers) at 34°C or above resulted in a marked decrease in ripening‐associated ethylene production. High temperature inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis was not associated with permanent tissue damage, since ethylene production recovered following transfer of fruits to a permissive temperature. Determination of pericarp enzyme activities involved in ethylene biosynthesis following transfer of fruits from 25°C to 35 or 40°C revealed that 1‐aminocyclopropane‐l‐carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (EC 4.4.1.14) activity declined rapidly while ethylene forming enzyme (EFE) activity declined slowly. Removal of high temperature stress resulted in more rapid recovery of ACC synthase activity relative to EFE activity. Levels of ACC in pericarp tissue reflected the activity of ACC synthase before, during, and after heat stress. Recovery of ethylene production following transfer of pericarp discs from high to permissive temperature was inhibited in the presence of cycloheximide, indicating the necessity for protein synthesis. Ethylene production by wounded tomato pericarp tissue was not as inhibited by high temperature as ripening‐associated ethylene production by whole fruits.

Degradation and Formation of Fruit Color in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Response to Storage Temperature

“…The compromise temperature for most varieties of tomatoes is 12 o C but since ripening is not prevented at this temperature, most tomatoes can be stored for only two weeks (Hobson, 1981). Temperatures above 35°C have been known to inhibit fruit ripening (Biggs et al, 1988;Klein and Lurie, 1992). Moreover, storage of fruit at elevated temperatures is not feasible, as there is excessive weight loss and the ability to ripen normally is lost after extended periods at high temperatures (Tsuji et al, 1984).…”

Reversible Inhibition of Tomato Fruit Gene Expression at High Temperature (Effects on Tomato Fruit Ripening)

“…pTOM6 encodes for PG, an enzyme that depolymerizes pectins in the fruit cell wall (Grierson et 1986)' Phytoene 'ynthase, an enzyme in the pathway Of lycopene synthesist has been identified with pToM5 (Fray and Grierson, 1993). These clones have Provided a useful means to examine different factors that influence the ripening process.Short exposures to temperatures above 35°C have been found to inhibit fruit ripening reversibly (Biggs et al, 1988;Lurie and Klein, 1990), whereas fruit held for extended periods at high temperature ripen abnormally (ogura et al., 1975). rn tomatoes, elevated temperatures inhibit ethylene synthesis (Biggs et al,, 1988) and PG accumulation (Yoshida et al, 1984) and interfere with lycopene synthesis (Ogura et al, 1975).…”

“…Short exposures to temperatures above 35°C have been found to inhibit fruit ripening reversibly (Biggs et al, 1988;Lurie and Klein, 1990), whereas fruit held for extended periods at high temperature ripen abnormally (ogura et al., 1975). rn tomatoes, elevated temperatures inhibit ethylene synthesis (Biggs et al,, 1988) and PG accumulation (Yoshida et al, 1984) and interfere with lycopene synthesis (Ogura et al, 1975).…”

“…rn tomatoes, elevated temperatures inhibit ethylene synthesis (Biggs et al,, 1988) and PG accumulation (Yoshida et al, 1984) and interfere with lycopene synthesis (Ogura et al, 1975). Some of these effects have been attrib-(Ogura et alr 1975)r but and Grierson (1988) demonstrated that inhibition also occurred at the level of gene expression.…”

Optimization of Heat Treatment for Delaying the Ripening of Fruit during Storage.

“…It inhibits ethylene production, lycopene synthesis and chlorophyll, and all of these factors influence the ripening process of fruit (Biggs et al, 1988;Lurie and Klein, 1992;McDonald et al, 1996) . It is also reported that heat treatment can maintain better firmness of apples (Tu and De Baerdemaker 1996) .…”