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Induction of a Citrus gene highly homologous to plant and yeast thi genes involved in thiamine biosynthesis during natural and ethylene-induced fruit maturation

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Abstract

Maturing citrus fruit undergo pigment changes which can be enhanced by exogenous ethylene. In order to identify genes induced by ethylene in citrus fruit peel, we cloned the gene c-thi1. mRNA corresponding to c-thi1 increased gradually in the peel during natural fruit maturation and in response to ethylene. GA3 pretreatment reduced the inductive effect of ethylene. Levels of c-thi1 increased also in juice sacs but the effect of ethylene was much less prominent. c-thi1 is homologous to yeast and plant genes encoding for an enzyme belonging to the pathway of thiamine biosynthesis. The data suggest that thiamine is involved in citrus fruit maturation.

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Jacob-Wilk, D., Goldschmidt, E.E., Riov, J. et al. Induction of a Citrus gene highly homologous to plant and yeast thi genes involved in thiamine biosynthesis during natural and ethylene-induced fruit maturation. Plant Mol Biol 35, 661–666 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005833724582

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005833724582

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