Environmentally driven transcriptomic and metabolic changes leading to color differences in "Golden Reinders" apples

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Agricultural Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Apple quality traits, like peel color, are influenced by growing environments.
• Molecular and metabolic regulation of apple peel color by environmental factors remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different environments (valley vs. mountain) affect apple peel color.
• To analyze metabolic and transcriptomic changes associated with yellow peel development in apples.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of carotenoids, chlorophylls, and antioxidants in apple peel.
• Transcriptome sequencing to identify gene expression differences.
• Time-course analysis during apple development and ripening.

Main Results:

• Mountain environments resulted in yellow apple peel due to decreased chlorophyll, not increased carotenoids.
• Yellow phenotype correlated with higher expression of chloroplast function and oxidative stress genes.
• Environmental factors differentially modulated isoprenoid and phenylpropanoid metabolism, with H2O2 involved in degreening.

Conclusions:

• Environmental conditions significantly impact apple peel color regulation at metabolic and molecular levels.
• Hydrogen peroxide is identified as a key factor in apple peel degreening.
• Understanding these environmental effects provides insights into optimizing apple quality.