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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2016, Vol. 15 Issue (2): 282-294    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61075-9
Crop Genetics · Breeding · Germplasm Resources Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Cloning, localization and expression analysis of two fw2.2-like genes in small- and large-fruited pear species
 TIAN Jia, ZENG Bin, LUO Shu-ping, LI Xiu-gen, WU Bin, LI Jiang
1、College of Forestry & Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, P.R.China
2、College of Agronomy, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, P.R.China
3、Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou 450009, P.R.China
4、Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing
100193, P.R.China
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摘要  Fruit size is one of the most important agronomic characters, which is mainly determined by cell number and cell size. However, our current knowledge about pear is largely unknown. Through counting of pear mesocarp cells at different stages, we found that the cell number, rather than the cell size, is responsible for the differences between small- and large-fruited cultivars. Fruit weight-2.2 (fw2.2) is an important quantitative trait locus (QTL) affecting fruit weight in tomato and functions as a negative regulator in carpel cell division. To get more insights into this QTL in pear fruit development, we isolated two putative homologous fw2.2 genes, which were designated as fw2.2-like (PbFWL) genes. PbFWLs encode Cys-rich proteins with the CCXXXXCPC motif and belong to the PLAC8 superfamily. In addition, results from the subcellular localization indicated that PbFWLs were localized in the plasma membrane. The expression profile of the PbFWL genes by qRT-PCR showed they expressed higher in small-sized fruit cultivar than that in large-sized fruit cultivar during the cell division period. In summary, our data suggest that these two PbFWLs might be negatively related to the cell division in pear fruit.

Abstract  Fruit size is one of the most important agronomic characters, which is mainly determined by cell number and cell size. However, our current knowledge about pear is largely unknown. Through counting of pear mesocarp cells at different stages, we found that the cell number, rather than the cell size, is responsible for the differences between small- and large-fruited cultivars. Fruit weight-2.2 (fw2.2) is an important quantitative trait locus (QTL) affecting fruit weight in tomato and functions as a negative regulator in carpel cell division. To get more insights into this QTL in pear fruit development, we isolated two putative homologous fw2.2 genes, which were designated as fw2.2-like (PbFWL) genes. PbFWLs encode Cys-rich proteins with the CCXXXXCPC motif and belong to the PLAC8 superfamily. In addition, results from the subcellular localization indicated that PbFWLs were localized in the plasma membrane. The expression profile of the PbFWL genes by qRT-PCR showed they expressed higher in small-sized fruit cultivar than that in large-sized fruit cultivar during the cell division period. In summary, our data suggest that these two PbFWLs might be negatively related to the cell division in pear fruit.
Keywords:  pear       fruit size       fw2.2       subcellular localization       gene expression       cell division  
Received: 06 January 2015   Accepted:
Fund: 

This work was supported by the National High-Tech Research and Development Program of China (2011AA10020604), the Pomology Major Projects of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (201130102–1) and the Special Research Projects of National Forestry Industry of Public Benefit, China (201304701–1).

Corresponding Authors:  LI Jiang,Tel/Fax: +86-991-8762363, E-mail: lijiangxnd@163.com;WU Bin, Tel: +86-10-57833201, E-mail: bwu@implad.ac.cn     E-mail:  lijiangxnd@163.com;bwu@implad.ac.cn
About author:  TIAN Jia, E-mail: terrisay@163.com;

Cite this article: 

TIAN Jia, ZENG Bin, LUO Shu-ping, LI Xiu-gen, WU Bin, LI Jiang. 2016. Cloning, localization and expression analysis of two fw2.2-like genes in small- and large-fruited pear species. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 15(2): 282-294.

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