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Biochemistry of fruit softening: an overview

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Abstract

Softening is a developmentally programmed ripening process, associated with biochemical changes in cell wall fractions involving hydrolytic processes resulting in breakdown of cell-wall polymers such as cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin etc. Various hydrolytic reactions are brought about by polygalacturonase, pectin methyl esterase, pectate lyase, rhamnogalacturonase, cellulase and β-galactosidase etc. Besides these enzymes, expansin protein also plays an important role in softening. Textural changes during ripening help in determining the shelf life of a fruit. An understanding of these changes would help in formulating procedures for controlling fruit softening vis-à-vis enhancing shelf life of fruits. In the present review an attempt has been made to coalesce recent findings on biochemistry of fruit softening.

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Abbreviations

ACO:

1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase

PL:

pectate lyase

PME:

pectin methylesterase

PG:

polygalacturonase

RG:

Rhamnogalacturonase

XET:

xyloglucan endotransglycosylase

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  1. Department of Biotechnology, S.J.M. Institute of Engineering and Technology, Radaur, 135133, Yamunanagar, India

    Anurag Payasi, Nagendra Nath Mishra & Randhir Singh

  2. Departmento de Bioquimica, Universidade de Federal, Pelotas, RS, Brazil

    Anurag Payasi & Ana Lucia Soares Chaves

  3. Division of Infectious Diseases, LA Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA, 1124 West Carson Street, Bldg. RB2, Room 225, Torrance, CA, 90502, USA

    Nagendra Nath Mishra

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Correspondence to Randhir Singh.

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Payasi, A., Mishra, N.N., Chaves, A.L.S. et al. Biochemistry of fruit softening: an overview. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 15, 103–113 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-009-0012-z

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