The cellular physiology of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit with a focus on how cell division and cell expansion processes contribute to pome morphogenesis

Abstract

Develop from flower tube, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit differs from apple and other pome on size and shape greatly. To date, cell regulators of loquat fruit morphogenesis are still unknown. Fruit growth, histological observation and regulatory genes expression were investigated for 22 stages in loquat. Growth measurements reveal that loquat contains larger carpel volume and thinner flesh compared to apple. Cellular analyses demonstrate that cell number contributes to size varieties among loquat and other pome. Low cell production rate confers to weak cell proliferation capacity during early development. The correlation of cell number/size changes and several regulatory gene expression implies that: loquat fruit maintained cell division under regulation of EjFWLs and other genes from anthesis to 42days past anthesis; unique temporal expression of EjWEE1 and EjKRP3 at 42 and 63days past anthesis participate in cell cycle exit and polyploidy establishment; complementary expression of EjCCS52 isoforms promotes cell growth in an endoreduplication dependent pathway like EjWEE1 and EjKRP3 may be involved; EjEXPAs involved in acid cell growth play crucial role in fruit cell size enlargement. Together, these data indicate that cell division and expansion under complicated regulation, and weak cell proliferation capacity result to less cell layer which confers to thin cortex.