Cytosolic/Plastid Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Is a Negative Regulator of Strawberry Fruit Ripening

Abstract

Cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPC) and plastid glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPCp) are key enzymes in glycolysis. Besides their catalytic function, GAPC/GAPCp participates in the regulation of plant stress response and growth and development. However, the involvement of GAPC/GAPCp in the regulation of fruit ripening is unclear. In this study, FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 in strawberries were isolated and analyzed. FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 transcripts showed high transcript levels in the fruit. Transient overexpression of FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 delayed fruit ripening, whereas RNA interference promoted fruit ripening and affected fruit anthocyanins and sucrose levels. Change in the expression patterns of FaGAPC2 and FaGAPCp1 also influenced the expression of several glycolysis-related and ripening-related genes such as CEL1, CEL2, SS, ANS, MYB5, NCED1, ABI1, ALDO, PK, and G6PDH, and H2O2 level and reduced glutathione (GSH)/glutathione disulfide (GSSG) redox potential. Meanwhile, metabolomics experiments showed that transient overexpression of FaGAPCp1 resulted in a decrease in anthocyanins, flavonoids, organic acid, amino acids, and their derivatives. In addition, abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose treatment induced the production of large amounts of H2O2 and inhibited the expression of FaGAPC2/FaGAPCp1 in strawberry fruit. These results revealed that FaGAPC2/FaGAPCp1 is a negative regulator of ABA and sucrose mediated fruit ripening which can be regulated by oxidative stress.