Cloning of three genes up-regulated in ripening raspberry fruit (Rubus idaeus cv. Glen Clova)

cDNA clones of three genes, up-regulated as raspberry (R. idaeus cv. Glen Clova) fruit ripen, were isolated by differential screening of a cDNA library constructed from RNA extracted from ripe fruit. The expression patterns of these genes were determined in ripening fruit and in other tissues of the raspberry plant. When compared with sequences in databases, the genes were identified on the basis of sequence similarity. The predicted polypeptides coded for by the three clones show similarity to major latex proteins, a class of fruit-specific metallothionein-like proteins, and fruit-ripening associated endo-polygalacturonases, respectively. The potential roles of these gene products in fruit-ripening is discussed.