Responses of phospholipase D and lipoxygenase to mechanical wounding in postharvest cucumber fruits.

This study was to investigate the responses of phospholipase D (PLD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) to mechanical wounding in postharvest cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Biyu-2) fruits. Membrane-associated Ca2+ content, activities and gene expression of PLD and LOX, and contents of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidic acid (PA) were determined in cucumber fruits following mechanical wounding. Results show that PLD and LOX activities increased with the PLD and LOX mRNAs which are upregulated upon wounding, while membrane-associated Ca2+ content decreased. Accompanying with the increase of PLD and LOX activities, accumulation of PA and losses of PC and PI were observed in all fruits, but there were differences of degrees between wounded and control fruits. Results suggest that PLD and LOX might be the main hydrolytic enzymes of phospholipids in postharvest cucumber fruits participating in the mechanical wounding injury. The activation of PLD and LOX might be the result of gene expression, which could be stimulated by the Ca2+ flowing from the membrane to the cytoplasm upon receiving the wounding signals.

Induction of water-soaking deterioration in watermelon fruit by ethylene.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb. Mansfeld) fruit were held in 50 microL/L of ethylene at 20 degrees C following 18 h application with 5 microL/L of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to investigate the involvement of ethylene in the regulation of water-soaking. The early responses of watermelon fruit to ethylene were increased electrolyte leakage and free juice content, accompanying softening and water-soaking of placental tissue. Early evidence of water-soaking appeared in the inner pericarp near the calyx end after 2 d of ethylene treatment, and was accompanied by increased activities of ACC synthase (ACS) and ACC oxidase (ACO). While the application of 1-MCP showed no significant effects by itself, it completely suppressed water-soaking induced by exogenous ethylene. Water-soaking also developed in fruit stored over 10 d in air, and the affected fruit exhibited climacteric respiration and ethylene production peaks after 2 d of storage. These results, along with the observed prophylactic effects of 1-MCP, suggest that water-soaking in watermelon fruit is an ethylene-induced senescence phenomenon.