Physiological and transcriptomics analysis of the effect of recombinant serine protease on the preservation of loquat.

This study aimed to explore the effects of recombinant serine protease treatment on the development of post-harvest loquat diseases, fruit quality, and disease resistance enzyme activities. It also sought to analyze differential genes expression using RNA-seq technology. Transcriptomics analysis revealed 708 and 398 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in loquat fruits treated with serine protease for 24 and 48 h. Furthermore, 2198 DEGs were obtained between 24 and 48 h after treatment. The genes encoding JAZ, MYC2 and ERF in the plant signal transduction pathway were significantly up-regulated. The resistance-related genes, such as PPO, PAL, TLP, WRKY, and transcription factors were also significantly up-regulated. These results indicated that the recombinant serine protease can induce plant signal transduction pathway in loquat fruit. The expression of some resistance-related genes enhanced the disease resistance of loquat fruit and revealed the molecular mechanism of loquat fruit resistance induced by recombinant serine protease. • Recombinant serine protease prolonged the shelf life of loquat fruit. • Recombinant serine protease increased the resistance enzyme activity. • Recombinant serine protease improved the loquat disease resistance though plant hormone signal transduction pathway. • DEGs related to resistance enzyme were up-regulated after recombinant serine protease treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]