What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to investigate mechanisms underlying early pulp autolysis in longan fruit.

May 7, 2026Scientia Horticulturae0 citationsOpen Access

Integrated physiological, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveal the underlying mechanisms of early pulp autolysis in Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.)

LXLu XiaoMinistry of Agriculture KZKunhong ZengMinistry of Agriculture WLWenwen LiuMinistry of Agriculture

Key Points

The aim is to investigate mechanisms underlying early pulp autolysis in longan fruit.
Integrated physiological, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses were performed.
Correlational analysis assessed enzyme activities with pulp autolysis indicators.
Multi-omics integration identified differentially expressed genes and proteins.
Autolysis correlates with H₂O₂ accumulation and altered enzyme activities.
Key regulatory modules in flavonoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signaling were identified.
Redox homeostasis was compromised, affecting ascorbate peroxidase activity.

Abstract

Pulp autolysis is a major factor driving post-harvest quality deterioration in longan fruit. This study investigated the mechanisms of early pulp autolysis using an integrated approach that combines physiological, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses. Our results demonstrated that autolysis is correlated with H₂O₂ accumulation, increased activities of peroxidase (POD) and laccase (Lac), decreased chitinase (Chi) activity, and reductions in ascorbic acid (Vc) and soluble protein (SP) content. Multi - omics integration identified 230 co - differentially expressed genes and proteins (transcriptome: |FC| ≥ 2, FDR < 0.05; proteome: |FC| ≥ 1.5, FDR < 0.01), revealing dysregulated ROS metabolism (particularly impaired H₂O₂ catabolism), compromised redox homeostasis (marked by decreased ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity and down - regulated thioredoxin (Trx) expression), and extensive cell wall degradation involving altered expression of cellulose synthase (CesA), β - galactosidase (β - Gal), pectinesterase (PE), cellulase (CEL), and endo - (1, 4) - β - D - glucanase (EG). Concurrent transient lignin synthesis was associated with increased activities of phenylalanine ammonia - lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4 - hydroxylase (C4H), and 4 - coumarate - CoA ligase (4CL). Furthermore, three regulatory modules were identified as potential key regulators of early pulp autolysis: perturbations in flavonoid biosynthesis (down-regulation of chalcone synthase (CHS) and decreased chalcone isomerase (CHI) activity), involvement of ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathways (encompassing SKP1 - like protein, F - box protein, ubiquitin carboxyl - terminal hydrolase, and ubiquitin receptor RAD23), and modulation of plant hormone signaling pathways related to jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and auxin (IAA). These findings significantly advance the understanding of post - harvest longan senescence and provide a theoretical foundation for developing targeted preservation strategies to extend shelf life.

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