Regulation of ascorbic acid metabolism in response to different temperatures in citrus juice sacs in vitro

•10 °C increased AsA accumulation in citrus juice sacs.•30 °C did not significantly change AsA accumulation in citrus juice sacs.•Higher AsA accumulation at 10 °C was highly regulated at the transcriptional level.

To elucidate the regulation of ascorbic acid (AsA) metabolism in response to temperatures, three varieties of citrus juice sacs (Valencia orange, Lisbon lemon, and Satsuma mandarin) in in vitro culture system were subjected to different temperatures (10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C). The AsA accumulation was induced at 10 °C, whereas it was not significantly affected at 30 °C as compared with the control at 20 °C in juice sacs of the three citrus varieties. The enhancement of AsA accumulation at 10 °C was regulated by the expression of genes in AsA biosynthetic, oxidation, and regeneration pathway. In Valencia orange and Satsuma mandarin, the higher expression of CitVTC4 gene in biosynthetic pathway, and the higher expression of CitMDAR1 and CitMDAR2 genes in regeneration pathway, together with the lower expression of CitAO gene in oxidation pathway contributed to the higher AsA level at 10 °C. In Lisbon lemon, the higher expressions of CitVTC1, CitVTC2, and CitVTC4 genes in biosynthetic pathway and the lower expression of CitAO gene in oxidation pathway contributed to the higher AsA level at 10 °C.

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