Alteration of the phenylpropanoid pathway by watercore disorder in apple (Malus x domestica)

Čebulj, Anka (author), Mikulič Petkovšek, Maja (author), Rares Lucaciu, Calin (author), Veberič, Robert (author), Marinovic, Silvija (author), Kolarek, Martina (author), Hutabarat, Olly Sanny (author), Faramarzi, Shabad (author), Rattei, Thomas (author), Molitor, Christian (author), Hudina, Metka (author), Haselmair-Gosch, Christian (author), Halbwirth, Heidi (author), Slatnar, Ana (author)

Watercore is a physiological disorder of apple expressed as fluid deposition in intercellular spaces. We analysed the watercore prone cultivar 'Fuji' to establish a link between enzymatic response and fluid accumulation in the fruit. Individual phenolic content, selected enzyme activities of the phenylpropanoid pathway, sugars and organic acids were quantified in watercore affected flesh and peel. In addition, transcriptome sequencing was performed to obtain a first insight into molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological disorder. Sampled material included: peel (HP) and flesh from healthy fruit (H), peel from watercore affected fruit (WP), healthy flesh from fruit with watercore (HW) and watercore flesh (WW) from fruit with watercore. A sorbitol increase in watercore affected apple was observed not only in the flesh but also in the peel. Moreover, two phenolic groups (hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols) were significantly affected by watercore and their content was higher in WP in comparison to HP. Dihydrochalcone content was the highest in WW flesh. This was supported by RNA-seq data, which indicated a generally increased expression of genes from the early flavonoid pathway, sorbitol metabolism and polyphenol oxidases. Among the phenylpropanoid pathway enzymes analysed, phloretin 2′-O-glycosyltransferase was the only one exhibiting altered activity.

• Language: English
• Keywords: dihydrochalcones, enzyme activity, gene expression, flavonoid pathway, phenolic compounds, physiological disorder
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Publication date: 31.07.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 289, art. 110438
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-134368
• UDC: 634
• ISSN on article: 1879-1018
• COBISS.SI-ID: 72043779
• Publication date in RUL: 11.01.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Scientia horticulturae
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1879-1018
• COBISS.SI-ID: 23111173

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.
• Licensing start date: 31.07.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: jabolka, dihidrohalkoni, aktivnost encimov, izražanje genov, sintezna pot flavonoidov, fenolne spojine, fiziološke motnje, Malus x domestica