Fruits are an indispensable part of the human diet because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, sugars, fibre, and flavourings. The fortification of most of these products begins as soon as the fruit begins to ripen. Fruit ripening is crucial for the quality and shelf life of fruits. During this process, a number of changes in color, flavor, texture, aroma, and nutrient content occur. It is therefore important to study the regulatory mechanisms of fruit ripening, which provide useful information for improving fruit quality.
Ethylene plays a central role in various developmental events and environmental responses in plants. Its role in fruit ripening has received the most attention and has been well studied. Ethylene biosynthesis and signal transduction pathway have been intensively studied in many species. However, ethylene is far from the only hormonal influence on fruit maturation. There are increasing reports showing that other hormones such as auxin, abscisic acid, gibberellins (GAs) and cytokinins (CKs) control ripening in both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Recent studies on the tomato fruit transcriptome have suggested the possibility of a highly complex interactive hormonal network during fruit ripening. In addition to ethylene-related genes, genes related to other hormones such as auxin, jasmonic acid, and abscisic acid are also differentially regulated during tomato ripening.
Apparently, other hormones besides ethylene are involved in the ripening of both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Much of the current knowledge on the effects of the various hormones is indirect, unlike ethylene in climacteric fruit, which has been studied more intensively. Over time, the simple models of hormone antagonism (gibberellic acid vs. abscisic acid, auxin vs. cytokinin) have been replaced by the concept of complex hormonal crosstalk. The number of hormones that can affect maturation and the complexity of the interactions between them make it difficult to categorize their individual roles.
While there is growing evidence of the interactions between hormones in the regulation of fruit ripening, more work is needed to better define the role and relative importance of the different hormones and their interactions in fruit ripening.
In this Research Topic, we seek to gather evidence on the molecular mechanisms of hormone crosstalk, focusing on crosstalk between ethylene and other signaling pathways in fruit ripening.
Contributions on the following topics are particularly encouraged:
(i) Effects of hormone administration in fruit maturation and the possible mechanisms, e.g. delay or enhancement of maturation, and the interplay of hormones underlying these effects.
(ii) Hormone synthesis, transport, perception and signal transduction during fruit ripening and the effects of hormone balance on the control of fruit quality, such as cell wall degradation, aroma formation, etc.
(iii) Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks involved in the effect of hormones on fruit maturation.
(iiii) Genetics, epigenetics, post-translational protein modifications and second messengers involved in hormone interaction during fruit maturation.
We hope that a series of studies will provide readers with a better understanding of the hormonal interplay during fruit maturation and suggest new avenues of research in this emerging field.
Fruits are an indispensable part of the human diet because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, sugars, fibre, and flavourings. The fortification of most of these products begins as soon as the fruit begins to ripen. Fruit ripening is crucial for the quality and shelf life of fruits. During this process, a number of changes in color, flavor, texture, aroma, and nutrient content occur. It is therefore important to study the regulatory mechanisms of fruit ripening, which provide useful information for improving fruit quality.
Ethylene plays a central role in various developmental events and environmental responses in plants. Its role in fruit ripening has received the most attention and has been well studied. Ethylene biosynthesis and signal transduction pathway have been intensively studied in many species. However, ethylene is far from the only hormonal influence on fruit maturation. There are increasing reports showing that other hormones such as auxin, abscisic acid, gibberellins (GAs) and cytokinins (CKs) control ripening in both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Recent studies on the tomato fruit transcriptome have suggested the possibility of a highly complex interactive hormonal network during fruit ripening. In addition to ethylene-related genes, genes related to other hormones such as auxin, jasmonic acid, and abscisic acid are also differentially regulated during tomato ripening.
Apparently, other hormones besides ethylene are involved in the ripening of both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Much of the current knowledge on the effects of the various hormones is indirect, unlike ethylene in climacteric fruit, which has been studied more intensively. Over time, the simple models of hormone antagonism (gibberellic acid vs. abscisic acid, auxin vs. cytokinin) have been replaced by the concept of complex hormonal crosstalk. The number of hormones that can affect maturation and the complexity of the interactions between them make it difficult to categorize their individual roles.
While there is growing evidence of the interactions between hormones in the regulation of fruit ripening, more work is needed to better define the role and relative importance of the different hormones and their interactions in fruit ripening.
In this Research Topic, we seek to gather evidence on the molecular mechanisms of hormone crosstalk, focusing on crosstalk between ethylene and other signaling pathways in fruit ripening.
Contributions on the following topics are particularly encouraged:
(i) Effects of hormone administration in fruit maturation and the possible mechanisms, e.g. delay or enhancement of maturation, and the interplay of hormones underlying these effects.
(ii) Hormone synthesis, transport, perception and signal transduction during fruit ripening and the effects of hormone balance on the control of fruit quality, such as cell wall degradation, aroma formation, etc.
(iii) Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks involved in the effect of hormones on fruit maturation.
(iiii) Genetics, epigenetics, post-translational protein modifications and second messengers involved in hormone interaction during fruit maturation.
We hope that a series of studies will provide readers with a better understanding of the hormonal interplay during fruit maturation and suggest new avenues of research in this emerging field.
