Cloning and Characterization of a cDNA Encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) Synthase (PPACS3) from Ripening Fruit of Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai)

Abstract

We have isolated a cDNA (PPACS3) encoding ACC synthase from the ripening fruit of the Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. Nijisseiki). This cDNA clone consisted of 1891 bp, containing an open reading frame of 1485 bp that coded for a polypeptide with 495 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acids of PPACS3 revealed 58% and 53% identity to those of PPACS1 and PPACS2, respectively. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that the PPACS3 mRNA was expressed at a low level in ripening fruits in all cultivars in Japanese pear. Moreover, wound treatment increased the expression of PPACS3 mRNA, indicating that the PPACS3 gene is associated with fruit ripening and wounding.