Proteome and transcriptome analyses reveal key molecular differences between quality parameters of commercial-ripe and tree-ripe fig (Ficus carica L.)

Fig fruit are highly perishable at the tree-ripe (TR) stage. Commercial-ripe (CR) fruit, which are harvested before the TR stage for their postharvest transportability and shelf-life advantage, are inferior to TR fruit in size, color and sugar content. The succulent urn-shaped receptacle serves as the protective structure and edible part of the fruit, and determines fruit quality. Quantitative iTRAQ reveal the proteins and transcripts that are differentially expressed in fig receptacle at the two harvest stages. We annotated 691 proteins against uni_Moraceae_3487, of which 59 showed ≤1.3 -fold change—in TR vs CR fruit. Ficin was the most abundant soluble protein in the fig receptacle. A high abundance of aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase was identified.