Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Effect of BO-ACO 2 gene on post-harvest senescence in transgenic broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica)

Author(s):

Feifei Qin ^{1, 2, 3}, Chengrong Wang ¹, Ran Wang ^1*, Gang Ma ¹, Hui-lian Xu ³

Recieved Date: 2011-01-17, Accepted Date: 2011-04-04

Abstract:

Transgenic broccoli plants carrying an antisense (AS) or a sense (S) BO-ACO 2 gene were successfully obtained by Agrobacterium tumefaciens– mediated method in our previous study. In the present study, the effects of BO-ACO 2 gene on ethylene biosynthesis and post-harvest senescence of transgenic broccoli were analyzed. Transgenic broccoli showed significantly extended shelf life through delaying onset of yellowing by approximately 3 days in florets of the AS line transgenic broccoli plants and by approximately 12 hours in florets of the S line plants. This result was confirmed by related physiological analyses on chlorophyll level, floral respiration rate, ethylene production and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase activity. The chlorophyll content in control broccoli decreased rapidly after harvest, while transgenic broccoli showed a low decreased rate of chlorophyll loss and an improvement in head color. Florets from the AS line produced significantly less post-harvest ethylene over the 156 h experimental period, and no obvious peak was observed. Patterns of the ethylene production in florets of the S line were similar to those in control, but the maximum was significantly reduced and delayed 12 hours. ACC oxidase activity in the AS line maintained at a very low level during the whole experimental period. The curve of ACC oxidase activity in the S line was similar to that of the control within 48 hours after harvest; however, the second peak appeared at 60 hour. Real-time Fluorescence PCR analyses showed that the highest expression of BO-ACO 2 gene in the AS line was 36 hours later than that in control due to the antisense BO-ACO 2 gene though its level was close to control. The expression of the BO-ACO 2 gene was largely suppressed during the experimental period in the S line. In conclusion, the shelf life of broccoli can be prolonged 1 day (sense BO-ACO 2) or 3 days (antisense BO-ACO 2) by reducing post-harvest ethylene.

Keywords:

ACC oxidase, BO-ACO 2 gene, ethylene, real-time PCR, senescence, transgenic broccoli

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Category: Food and Health
Pages: 66-71

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