Microarray analysis of ripening-regulated gene expression and its modulation by 1-MCP and hexanal

Hexanal, an inhibitor of phospholipase D, has been successfully applied for the pre- and post-harvest treatment of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Changes in gene expression induced by hexanal and the ethylene antagonist 1-MCP, were analyzed by microarray using TOM2 tomato oligo-array containing approximately 12 000 unigenes. Mature green tomato fruits were treated with 1-MCP and hexanal, RNA isolated after 10 days of storage, and labeled cDNA synthesized for microarray analysis. A large variation in gene expression profile was observed in 1-MCP-treated fruits. Genes for ethylene biosynthetic pathway enzymes such as ACC- synthase/oxidase, ethylene receptor and ethylene response factors were heavily down-regulated in 1-MCP-treated fruits. In addition, genes for key enzymes involved in cell wall degradation and carotenoid development pathways were down-regulated. Hexanal treatment significantly down-regulated ACC-synthase, and to a lesser extent, other components of ethylene signal transduction. By contrast to MCP-treated fruits, hexanal-treated fruits gradually ripened and showed higher levels of lycopene and β-carotene. GC–MS analysis of volatiles showed a higher level of major volatile components in hexanal-treated fruits. Similarities in the modulation of gene expression by hexanal and 1-MCP suggest that hexanal, in addition to being a PLD inhibitor, may also act as a weak ethylene inhibitor.

Research highlights
► Hexanal is an inhibitor of phospholipase D and has been successfully applied for the pre- and/post-harvest treatment of fruits, vegetables and flowers.
► Changes in gene expression induced by hexanal were compared with that induced by 1-MCP using TOM2 tomato oligo-array.
► Ethylene biosynthetic pathway genes were heavily down-regulated in the 1-MCP-treated fruits.
► Hexanal treatment down-regulated ACC-synthase.
► Secondary plant product biosynthesis was severely inhibited by 1-MCP reducing quality.