Transcriptomic analysis of grape berry softening during ripening

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this paper was to use recent transcriptomic tools available for grape in order to understand berry softening.

Methods and results: A microarray bearing specific 50 mer oligonucleotide for 3,200 genes was used to study gene expression along 8 stages of berry development in Chardonnay and Shiraz berries. Transcripts corresponding to aquaporin genes and to genes involved in cell wall metabolism were studied in detail and ranked according to their pattern of expression.

Conclusion: Several structural and regulatory genes whose expression pattern correlated with the late phases of ripening were identified. Significance and impact of study: This study provides a preliminary molecular basis to identify molecular markers of berry ripening.