ARS | Publication request: Genes Expressed during Development and Ripening of Watermelon Fruit

Submitted to: Hortscience Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 1, 2006
Publication Date: September 15, 2006
Citation: Levi, A., Wechter, W.P., Davis, A.R., Hernandez, A., Thimmapuram, J. 2006. Genes expressed during development and ripening of watermelon fruit. Cucurbitaceae Proceeding. pgs 125-132.

Technical Abstract: A cDNA library was constructed using watermelon flesh mRNA from three distinct developmental time-points and was normalized and then subtracted by hybridization with leaf cDNA. Random cDNA clones of the watermelon flesh subtraction library were sequenced from the 5’ end in order to identify potentially informative genes associated with fruit setting, development, and ripening. One-thousand and forty-six 5’-end sequences (expressed sequence tags; ESTs) were assembled into 832 non-redundant sequences, designated as “EST-unigenes“. Of these 832 “EST-unigenes”, 254 (~30%) have no significant homology to sequences of other plant species. Additionally, 168 “EST-unigenes” (~20%) correspond to genes with unknown function, whereas 410 “EST-unigenes” (~50%) correspond to genes with known function in other plant species. Microarray analysis indicated that a large number of the ESTs (about 15%) are differentially expressed during the development of watermelon fruit. This study provides new genetic information for watermelon as well as an expanded pool of genes associated with fruit development in watermelon. These genes will be useful targets in future functional genomic studies dealing with watermelon fruit development.