INVOLVEMENT OF 3-HYDROXY-3-METHYLGLUTARYL COENZYME A REDUCTASE IN CELL DIVISION IN THE PERICARP, WHICH DETERMINES MELON FRUIT SIZE

The fruit size of melon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) is determined by the number of pericarp cells that are defined during early fruit development.
It has been reported that the expression and activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) is required for early fruit growth in tomato and avocado.
In this study, we cloned a melon HMGR gene and investigated its involvement in the regulation of melon fruit size.
The melon HMGR gene (Cm-HMGR; GenBank accession no.
AB021862) showed high similarity to other plant HMGRs, and complemented a yeast HMGR-deficient mutant.
The level of Cm-HMGR transcripts and HMGR activity in the developing melon increased during early fruit development.
Flow cytometry and western blot analysis revealed a correlation between cell division in the pericarp and the expression of Cm-HMGR. In the pericarp, where frequent cell division occurs, the expression of Cm-HMGR protein increased at the beginning of the cell division stage.
These results suggest that Cm-HMGR is involved in cell division in the pericarp, which determines melon fruit size.

II International Symposium on Cucurbits

T. Kobayashi, S. Kato-Emori, K. Tomita, H. Ezura

Cucumis melo, enzyme, northern blotting, flow cytometry, western blotting

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.588.2