Non-climacteric ripening in strawberry fruit is linked to ABA, FaNCED2 and FaCYP707A1

To study the role of ABA in development and ripening of strawberry fruit, two ABA key synthetase genes FaNCED1, FaNCED2 and one ABA key degradation enzyme gene FaCYP707A1 were cloned from strawberry cultivar ‘Ablion’. The three genes and putative amino acid sequences, respectively, had high similarities with their homologues in other plants. In strawberry pulp, expression of FaNCED2 rose in two stages that corresponded with increases in ABA levels. The expression of FaNCED1 was much lower and increased continually. The expression of FaCYP707A1 increased as fruit changed from bright green to white, then decreased as it ripened. Auxin reduced expression of these three genes. Analysis of expression of these genes in different organs and tissues showed that FaNCED2 was abundant in mature achenes and the pulp (receptacle) had high expression of FaNCED1 and FaCYP707A1. ABA may play a regulation role in strawberry fruit development and ripening. The content of ABA was regulated by its key synthetase gene NCED2 and degradation gene CYP707A1.