Gene transcript accumulation associated with physiological and chemical changes during developmental stages of strawberry cv. Camarosa

Association between molecular, physiological, and chemical changes during developmental stages of ‘Camarosa’ strawberry were investigated. Fruit were evaluated for flesh firmness, L-ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and volatile compounds, antioxidant capacity, and transcript accumulation of putative genes: expansin (Exp), pectate lyase (PL), pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), β-galactosidase (β-Gal), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), L-galactose dehydrogenase (LGalDH) and l-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GLDH), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and alcohol acetyl transferase (AAT). Flesh firmness reduction was correlated with an initial increase in Exp2 and Exp5, as well as PLa and PLb transcript accumulation, followed by increases in transcript accumulation of PME, PG, PLc, and β-Gal. A reduction in the antioxidant potential was associated with a decrease in ferulic acid, caffeic acid, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, quercetin and kaempferol content. ANS, LGalDH, GLDH, ADH and AAT transcripts, anthocyanins, total phenolics, gallic acid, ρ-hydroxybenzoic acid, ρ-coumaric acid and l-ascorbic acid, and ester volatiles increased as fruit matured.