Elucidating the ripening signaling pathway in banana for improved fruit quality, shelf-life and food security

Background : Banana being a monocot and having distinct peel and pulp tissues is unique among the fleshy fruits and hence can provide a more comprehensive understanding of fruit ripening. Our previous research which translated ripening discoveries from tomato, led to the identification of six banana fruit-associated MADS-box genes, and we confirmed the positive role of MaMADS1/2 in banana ripening. The overall goal was to further elucidate the banana ripening signaling pathway as mediated by MADS-boxtranscriptional regulators. Specific objectives were: 1) characterize transcriptional profiles and quality of MaMADS1/2 repressed fruit; 2) reveal the role of additional MaMADSgenes in ripening; 3) develop a model of fruit MaMADS-box mode of action; and 4) isolate new components of the banana ripening signaling pathway. Major conclusion: The functions of the banana MaMADS1-5 have been examined by complimenting the rinor the TAGL1-suppressed lines of tomato. Only MaMADS5 exhibited partial complementation of TAGL1-suppressed and rinlines, suggesting that while similar genes play corresponding roles in ripening, evolutionary divergence makes heterologous complementation studies challenging. Nevertheless, the partial complementation of tomato TAGL1-surpessed and rinlines with MaMADS5 suggests this gene is likely an important ripening regulator in banana, worthy of further study. RNA-seqtranscriptome analysis during ripening was performed on WT and MaMADS2-suppressed lines revealing additional candidate genes contributing to ripening control mechanisms. In summary, we discovered 39 MaMADS-box genes in addition to homologues of CNR, NOR and HB-1 expressed in banana fruits, and which were shown in tomato to play necessary roles in ripening. For most of these genes the expression in peel and pulp was similar. However, a number of key genes were differentially expressed between these tissues indicating that the regulatory components which are active in peel and pulp include both common and tissue-specific regulatory systems, a distinction as compared to the more uniform tomato fruit pericarp. Because plant hormones are well documented to affect fruit ripening, the expressions of genes within the auxin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, salicylic and ethylene signal transduction and synthesis pathways were targeted in our transcriptome analysis. Genes’ expression associated with these pathways generally declined during normal ripening in both peel and pulp, excluding cytokinin and ethylene, and this decline was delayed in MaMADS2-suppressed banana lines. Hence, we suggest that normal MaMADS2 activity promotes the observed downward expression within these non-ethylene pathways (especially in the pulp), thus enabling ripening progression. In contrast, the expressions of ACSand ACOof the ethylene biosynthesis pathway increase in peel and pulp during ripening and are delayed/inhibited in the transgenic bananas, explaining the reduced ethylene production of MaMADS2-suppressed lines. Inferred by the different genes’ expression in peel and pulp of the gibberellins, salicylic acid and cytokinins pathways, it is suggested that hormonal regulation in these tissues is diverse. These results provide important insights into possible avenues of ripening control in the diverse fruit tissues of banana which was not previously revealed in other ripening systems. As such, our transcriptome analysis of WT and ripening delayed banana mutants provides a starting point for further characterization of ripening. In this study we also developed novel evidence that the cytoskeleton may have a positive role in ripening as components of this pathway were down-regulated by MaMADS2 suppression. The mode of cytoskeleton involvement in fruit ripening remains unclear but presents a novel new frontier in ripening investigations. In summary, this project yielded functional understanding of the role and mode of action of MaMADS2 during ripening, pointing to both induction of ethylene and suppression of non-ethylene hormonal singling pathways. Furthermore, our data suggest important roles for cytoskeleton components and MaMADS5 in the overall banana ripening control network.   Implications: The project revealed new molecular components/genes involved in banana ripening and refines our understanding of ripening responses in the peel and pulp tissues of this important species. This information is novel as compared to that derived from the more uniform carpel tissues of other highly studied ripening systems including tomato and grape. The work provides specific target genes for potential modification through genetic engineering or for exploration of useful genetic diversity in traditional breeding. The results from the project might point toward improved methods or new treatments to improve banana fruit storage and quality.