The laccase (PpLAC) gene family members in peach fruit were identified and the relationship between their expression pattern and chilling induced browning were investigated. The study was performed using two varieties of peaches with different chilling tolerance, treated with or without exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) during cold storage. Twenty-six genes were screened from the peach fruit genome. These genes were distributed on 6 chromosomes and each contained 5-7 exons. The PpLAC gene family members shared relatively similar gene structure and conserved motifs, and they were classified into 7 subgroups based on the cluster analysis. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that the expression levels of PpLAC7 and PpLAC9 exhibited an increasing pattern under low temperature storage, and displayed a similar trend with the browning index of peach fruit. Notably, GABA treatment reduced the degree of browning and inhibited the expression of PpLAC7 and PpLAC9. These results suggested that PpLAC7 and PpLAC9 might be involved in the browning of peach fruit during cold storage.
Food Storage ; Fruit/genetics* ; Laccase/genetics* ; Prunus persica/genetics*

'Zhizhang Guhong Chongcui' is a new cultivar of Prunus mume with cross-cultivar group characteristics. It has typical characteristics of cinnabar purple cultivar group and green calyx cultivar group. It has green calyx, white flower, and light purple xylem, but the mechanism remains unclear. In order to clarify the causes of its cross-cultivar group traits, the color phenotype, anthocyanin content and the expression levels of genes related to anthocyanin synthesis pathway of 'Zhizhang Guhong Chongcui', 'Yuxi Zhusha' and 'Yuxi Bian Lü'e' were determined. It was found that the red degree of petals, sepals and fresh xylem in branches was positively correlated with the total anthocyanin content. MYBɑ1, MYB1, and bHLH3 were the key transcription factor genes that affected the redness of the three cultivars of flowers and xylem. The transcription factors further promoted the high expression of structural genes F3'H, DFR, ANS and UFGT, thereby promoting the production of red traits. Combined with phenotype, anthocyanin content and qRT-PCR results, it was speculated that the white color of petals of 'Zhizhang Guhong Chongcui' were derived from the high expression of FLS, F3'5'H, LAR and ANR genes in other branches of cyanidin synthesis pathway, and the low expression of GST gene. The green color of sepals might be originated from the relatively low expression of F3'H, DFR and ANS genes. The red color of xylem might be derived from the high expression of ANS and UFGT genes. This study made a preliminary explanation for the characteristics of the cross-cultivar group of 'Zhizhang Guhong Chongcui', and provided a reference for molecular breeding of flower color and xylem color of Prunus mume.
Animals ; Anthocyanins ; DNA Shuffling ; Flowers/genetics* ; Porifera ; Prunus/genetics* ; Glutamine/analogs & derivatives* ; Plant Extracts

Mei (Prunus mume Sieb.et Zucc.) is traditionally not only a famous special ornamental plant but also a fruit tree origined in China. In order to conserve and ultilize scientifically the germplasm resources of wild mei, we identified and analysed the germplasm of mei flower in 65 samples collected from the habitat, using AFLP makers in combination with morphological anaylsis. This study amplified clearly 1 728 polymorphic bands, using the 8- pair-primer of Mse I -EcoR I screened totally from 64 -primer combination. According to the Nei' 72 distance coefficient clustering, all of the formas and varieties used in this study, including Prunus mume var. mume, P. mume, P. mume var. goethartiana, P. mume var. pallescens, P. mume var. microcarpa, P. mume var. cenrnus-sempervirens (newly recoeding variety), P. mume var. cernua, P. mume var. pallidus, P. mume var. taomei, were identified at the point of Nei' 72=0.26. Due to the genetic difference obviously among the formas and varieties, we suggested that wild germplasmtypes of all formas and varieties in P. mume should be conserved in their habitats in the furture.
Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis ; Genetic Variation ; Germ Cells, Plant ; classification ; Phylogeny ; Prunus ; classification ; genetics ; Species Specificity