Model-assisted analysis of tomato fruit growth in relation to carbon and water fluxes

Liu, Huaifeng; Génard, Michel; Guichard, S.; Bertin, Nadia

doi:10.1093/jxb/erm202

Cited by 113 publications

(118 citation statements)

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“…In this study, we focused on the accumulation of citrate and malate, the most abundant of the acidic metabolites in tomato fruit. Carboxylic acids are a major component of the osmotic potential that drives cell expansion through water uptake in the expansion phase of fruit growth (Liu et al, 2007). The concentrations of citrate and other carboxylic acids fall during this expansion phase as the cell contents are diluted (Baxter et al, 2005;Carrari et al, 2006).…”

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confidence: 99%

Metabolic Engineering of Tomato Fruit Organic Acid Content Guided by Biochemical Analysis of an Introgression Line

et al. 2012

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Organic acid content is regarded as one of the most important quality traits of fresh tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). However, the complexity of carboxylic acid metabolism and storage means that it is difficult to predict the best way to engineer altered carboxylic acid levels. Here, we used a biochemical analysis of a tomato introgression line with increased levels of fruit citrate and malate at breaker stage to identify a metabolic engineering target that was subsequently tested in transgenic plants. Increased carboxylic acid levels in introgression line 2-5 were not accompanied by changes in the pattern of carbohydrate oxidation by pericarp discs or the catalytic capacity of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes measured in isolated mitochondria. However, there was a significant decrease in the maximum catalytic activity of aconitase in total tissue extracts, suggesting that a cytosolic isoform of aconitase was affected. To test the role of cytosolic aconitase in controlling fruit citrate levels, we analyzed fruit of transgenic lines expressing an antisense construct against SlAco3b, one of the two tomato genes encoding aconitase. A green fluorescent protein fusion of SlAco3b was dual targeted to cytosol and mitochondria, while the other aconitase, SlAco3a, was exclusively mitochondrial when transiently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves. Both aconitase transcripts were decreased in fruit from transgenic lines, and aconitase activity was reduced by about 30% in the transgenic lines. Other measured enzymes of carboxylic acid metabolism were not significantly altered. Both citrate and malate levels were increased in ripe fruit of the transgenic plants, and as a consequence, total carboxylic acid content was increased by 50% at maturity.Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important food crop of high economic value and represents a model species for fleshy fruit physiology and ripening (Giovannoni, 2004;Mueller, 2009). The breeding history of tomato has been dominated by a focus on traits that benefit the grower, such as yield, storage characteristics, and field performance (Schuch, 1994;Giovannoni, 2006; Cong et al., 2008). As a result, there has been an unintentional loss of consumer quality traits such as flavor and nutritional value, and this has focused recent interest on the molecular genetics of such traits (Giovannoni, 2001;Causse et al., 2002 Causse et al., , 2004Fraser et al., 2009;Mounet et al., 2009;Enfissi et al., 2010; Centeno et al., 2011). The accumulation of a range of soluble metabolites is critically important for both flavor and nutrition. Tomato fruit undergo substantial changes in their metabolite content and composition during ripening (Carrari et al., 2006). Fruit flavor is influenced both by volatile and nonvolatile metabolites (Buttery et al., 1987;Goff and Klee, 2006; Carli et al., 2009). Of the nonvolatile metabolites, the balance between sugars and acidic compounds is of major importance for flavor (Tieman et al., 2012). The perceived flavor of tomato fruit is a complex is...

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confidence: 99%

Metabolic Engineering of Tomato Fruit Organic Acid Content Guided by Biochemical Analysis of an Introgression Line

et al. 2012

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“…In contrary, the extensibility coefficient Φ, decisive for the mechanical properties during growth, depends strongly on time (see Liu et al 2007, Fig. 1A) and temperature (Nakamura et al 2002, Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(5), not only it can describe the single cell growth, but also some single cell simulations. A good example presents a Fishman and Genard model (Fishman and Genard 1998), where the growing fruit is assimilated to one big cell separated from the exterior by a composite membrane (see also Liu et al 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-consistent equation of plant cell growth

Pietruszka¹

2009

gpb

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Abstract. We introduce a transcendental equation, describing the subsequent stages of plant cell/organ growth. Starting from empirically verified conclusions originating from the central limit theorem we also insert the influence of temperature on elongation growth to receive a time-dependent equation of growth parameterized by temperature. This self-consistent equation evolves with time using three cardinal parameters: t 0 , T 0 and V 0 . They represent the time of maximum expansion rate, the growth optimum temperature and the corresponding volume, respectively. Experimental determination of these cardinal values enables evaluation of the dynamic extensibility coefficient Φ = Φ T (t) in time and temperature domain.

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“…The model used in this study is a combination of the tomato fruit model of Liu et al (2007) and the tomato plant model of De Swaef and Steppe (2010), the latter being based on the original plant model of Steppe et al (2006). Measured SF, Ta and RH served as input variables, whereas plant measurements Dstem, Ψstem, and fruit measurements Dfr, Ψπ, fructose and glucose content were used to calibrate the model.…”

Section: Model Calibration and Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the effects of osmotic stress on tomato fruit development

Wal¹,

Put²,

Hanssens³

et al. 2017

Acta Hortic.

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Whereas most high-tech tomato greenhouses focus primarily on high production yields, consumers prefer a higher quality product. Dry matter content is one of the key factors determining fruit quality, and is known to be substantially influenced by altering the salinity of the nutrient solution. While this imposed osmotic stress can improve fruit quality, this often goes hand in hand with a decrease in production due to less water accumulation in the fruit. A more thorough insight in the underlying mechanisms might contribute to a better understanding and eventually steering of this delicate balance. To achieve this deeper knowledge, we combined intensive monitoring of plant and fruit physiological variables with a model-based approach. An experiment on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. 'Dirk') was set up in a greenhouse, where two different water treatments were imposed by altering the salinity (Electric Conductivity, EC) of the substrate. Besides plant variables such as sap flow, stem diameter variation and stem water potential, fruit growth and quality parameters were measured as well. These data were then used in a recently developed virtual tomato plant and fruit model, which is capable of modelling both plant and fruit growth as well as fruit quality (sugars and acids) and xylem and phloem contribution to fruit growth, but which has not been tested under salt stressed conditions. Results did not only show that the model can be used to predict fruit growth during salt stress conditions, but also which model parameters and related plant traits are affected most. This is an important step towards a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms controlling fruit development under osmotic stress.

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Model-assisted analysis of tomato fruit growth in relation to carbon and water fluxes

Cited by 113 publications

References 48 publications

Metabolic Engineering of Tomato Fruit Organic Acid Content Guided by Biochemical Analysis of an Introgression Line

Metabolic Engineering of Tomato Fruit Organic Acid Content Guided by Biochemical Analysis of an Introgression Line

Self-consistent equation of plant cell growth

Modelling the effects of osmotic stress on tomato fruit development

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