PERSISTENCE OF HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS IN HEATED TOMATO FRUIT AND THE RESISTANCE TO CHILLING INJURY OF THE FRUIT

Tomato fruit (Lycopersicum esculentum), injected with [³⁵S] methionine at harvest and subjected to 38°C for 48 h, accumulated high levels of specific radiolabeled proteins as visualized on 2-D gels, which were not present if the fruit was held at 20°C. These proteins remained labeled for up to 21 days if the fruit was held at 2°C, while the label declined within 4 days if the fruit was transferred to 20°C after heating.
Heated fruit held for 20°C for 4 days before being put in low temperature were sensitive to chilling injury, while heated fruit transferred immediately to low temperature were not.
This is the first report showing a relationship between the persistence of heat shock proteins and chilling tolerance in a plant tissue.

Postharvest Physiology of Fruits

A. Sabehat, D. Weiss, S. Lurie

Lycopersicum esculentum, chilling injury, heat treatment, heat shock proteins, storage

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.398.1