Co-Authors:
Barg, R., Dept of Plant Genetics and Breeding, A.R.O, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50-250, Israel
Meir, E., Dept of Plant Genetics and Breeding, A.R.O, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50-250, Israel
Lapushner, D., Dept of Plant Genetics and Breeding, A.R.O, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50-250, Israel
Frankel, R., Dept of Plant Genetics and Breeding, A.R.O, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50-250, Israel
Salts, Y., Dept of Plant Genetics and Breeding, A.R.O, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50-250, Israel
Abstract:
The denatured protein profiles of developing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits, from the anthesis stage up to fruits at 30% of their final diameter, were examined in a pai‐2l pat‐2 parthenocarpic line and in its near isogenic non‐partheno‐carpic line. At anthesis no differences were detected between the protein patterns of ovaries developed on parthenocarpic and non‐parthenocarpic plants. In subsequent stages the seeded and seedless fruits differed in the pattern of manifestation of several abundant proteins, none of which seem to be included in seeds The most prominent difference was found in an insoluble protein of 62 kDa; in developing seeded fruits of either the parthenocarpic or the non‐parthenocarpic line, its rate of decline was much faster than in seedless fruits. In seeded fruits larger than 4‐6 mm in diameter it was scarcely detected, whereas in parthenocarpic seedless 8–10 mm fruits it was still abundant. This protein is fruit specific; it is also enhanced in chemically (n‐n‐tolyl phthalamic acid) – induced parthenocarpic fruits of the non‐parthenocarpic line. The prolonged manifestation in the parthenocarpic fruits results from de novo synthesis of this protein. There are indications that it is not a stress‐related protein. This is the first demonstration of an association between the pattern of modulation of a protein and the phenotypic expression of genetically controlled parthenocarpy. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved