Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed., 2019, 55(4):166-169 | DOI: 10.17221/90/2018-CJGPB

An RNA-Seq analysis of the peach transcriptome with a focus on genes associated with skin colourShort Communication

Ping He^*, Linguang Li^*, Haibo Wang, Yuansheng Chang

Shandong Institute of Pomology, Taian, Shandong, P.R. China

Red pigmentation of the skin is an important consumer trait in peach (Prunus persica). The pigment consists largely of anthocyanin. Here, a transcriptomic contrast, based on RNA-Seq technology, was drawn between a white-skinned (Feitao) and a red-skinned (Qiuxue) peach cultivar. The analysis identified 2407 genes as differentially transcribed in the fruit skin of the two cultivars. Among these were a number of genes known to contribute to anthocyanin synthesis. A quantitative real-time PCR assay was used to validate the RNA-Seq-based estimates of transcript abundance for 14 differentially transcribed genes. Anthocyanin synthesis was observed in the skin of Qiuxue fruit during the late ripening stage, matching the high transcript abundance of the gene encoding UDP glucose: flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase, the final step in the synthesis of anthocyanin.

Keywords: anthocyanin; pericarp colour; Prunus persica; sequencing

Published: December 31, 2019  Show citation