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Published on: November 6, 2021
LED white light suppresses ethylene biosynthesis in apple fruit
Yanan Wang1,2, Qian Lu1, Ci Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Fruit Postharvest Biology (Liaoning Province); College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.
Plant Physiology
|August 12, 2026
Summary
White light from LEDs inhibits apple ripening by boosting spermidine (Spd) production. This process involves the MdHY5L and MdLHY transcription factors, which reduce ethylene synthesis, extending fruit storage life.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Apple (Malus domestica) ripening is a climacteric process primarily controlled by ethylene.
- Light-emitting diode (LED) white light is known to inhibit ethylene biosynthesis in apples, but the mechanism is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the regulatory mechanism by which LED white light inhibits ethylene production during apple ripening.
- To identify key genes and transcription factors involved in this light-mediated process.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the role of spermidine (Spd) in ethylene biosynthesis regulation under LED white light.
- Utilized gene expression analysis to identify transcription factors involved in the pathway.
- Examined the interaction between transcription factors and ethylene biosynthesis genes.
Main Results:
- LED white light enhances spermidine (Spd) production, which competes with ethylene for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM).
- The transcription factor MdHY5L is induced by LED white light, promoting Spd biosynthesis gene transcription.
- MdHY5L activates MdLHY, which directly represses the transcription of the ethylene biosynthesis gene MdACS1.
Conclusions:
- LED white light suppresses apple ripening by activating the MdHY5L-MdLHY transcriptional cascade.
- This cascade modulates polyamine-mediated ethylene biosynthesis, offering a strategy to extend apple fruit storage life.
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