Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

An Efficient Clearing Protocol for the Study of Seed Development in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
Published on: September 7, 2022
Ripening-associated ethylene biosynthesis in tomato fruit is autocatalytically and developmentally regulated
Naoki Yokotani1, Ryohei Nakano, Shunsuke Imanishi
1Research Institute for Biological Sciences, 7549-1 Yoshikawa, Kibichuo-cho, Okayama, 716-1241 Japan.
Abstract:
To investigate the regulatory mechanism(s) of ethylene biosynthesis in fruit, transgenic tomatoes with all known LeEIL genes suppressed were produced by RNA interference engineering. The transgenic tomato exhibited ethylene insensitivity phenotypes such as non-ripening and the lack of the triple response and petiole epinasty of seedlings even in the presence of exogenous ethylene. Transgenic fruit exhibited a low but consistent increase in ethylene production beyond 40 days after anthesis (DAA), with limited LeACS2 and LeACS4 expression. 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a potent inhibitor of ethylene perception, failed to inhibit the limited increase in ethylene production and expression of the two 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS) genes in the transgenic fruit. These results suggest that ripening-associated ethylene (system 2) in wild-type tomato fruit consists of two parts: a small part regulated by a developmental factor through the ethylene-independent expression of LeACS2 and LeACS4 and a large part regulated by an autocatalytic system due to the ethylene-dependent expression of the same genes. The results further suggest that basal ethylene (system 1) is less likely to be involved in the transition to system 2. Even if the effect of system 1 ethylene is eliminated, fruit can show a small increase in ethylene production due to unknown developmental factors. This increase would be enough for the stimulation of autocatalytic ethylene production, leading to fruit ripening.
More Related Videos
09:05Tomato Root Transformation Followed by Inoculation with Ralstonia Solanacearum for Straightforward Genetic Analysis of Bacterial Wilt Disease
Published on: March 11, 2020
05:03Direct Observation and Automated Measurement of Stomatal Responses to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 in Arabidopsis thaliana
Published on: February 9, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Fruit Development, Structure, and Function
Cell Signaling in Plants
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
C4 Pathway and CAM
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation