Mango Transcriptomes

The transcriptomes of mango mesocarp cv. “Kent” (GenBank PRJNA258477) and “Ataulfo” (GenBank PRJNA286253) were obtained using the Illumina sequencing plataform. A total of 52,948 putative genes were obtained for “Kent” and 40,094 for “Ataulfo”, and their gene products were assigned to 327 and 341 biochemical pathways, respectively. Differential expression between mature green and ripe fruit was done for “Kent” and “Ataulfo”. Additionally, the effect of the hot water quarantine treatment was studied in “Ataulfo” mango by RNA-seq differential expression.

Starch and sucrose metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and carbohydrate catabolic process were up-regulated and enriched during ripening and by the hot water treatment. Several gene families associated to cell wall degradation were identified and compared within family members. The expression of 26 genes involved in pectin degradation were evaluated by qRT-PCR and their levels were similar to those obtained by RNA-seq. Enzymes up-regulated due to ripening and hot water treatment will be discussed. Also, coding sequences for MADS-box transcription factors that regulate development and fruit ripening were found in the mango transcriptomes and will be presented. 

Small heat shock proteins and heat shock factors were induced due to the heat stress in mango fruit and will be discussed. These mango transcriptomes have been very helpful to identify genes for expression studies related not only to ripening but also to the responses to stress.