Fisiologia Vegetal
URI permanente para esta coleçãohttps://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/185
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Item Sequenciamento, caracterização e comparação evolutiva dos plastomas de Euterpe edulis e Euterpe Oleracea(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2017-07-25) Silva, Odyone Nascimento da; Rogalski, Marcelo; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3969533047091830As espécies E. edulis e E. oleracea pertencem à família Arecaceae e são as espécies mais importantes desse gênero, pela multiplicidade de usos e com destaque para comercialização de seus frutos e palmito. Neste sentido, reportamos a sequência completa e caracterização do genoma plastidial de ambas as espécies, que são as primeiras da tribo Euterpeae a terem seu plastoma sequenciado. Os plastomas das duas espécies apresentam uma estrutura quadripartida circular, que é típica na maioria das angiospermas. A estrutura do plastoma, a ordem dos genes e o conteúdo gênico são semelhantes às outras espécies da família Arecaceae. Exceções foram observadas nos genes ycfl e o rpsló que aparecem como pseudogenes em algumas espécies da família Arecaceae e nesta pesquisa aparecem na forma funcional em ambas as espécies. A análise de divergência de genes mostra que o gene ycfl é um dos genes mais divergentes na família Arecaceae. As espécies do gênero Euterpe mostraram uma alta conservação de sítios de edição de mRNA e a presença de 23 predições de sítios mRNA não observados em outras palmeiras. As duas espécies apresentam distribuição similar de SSRs com algumas regiões contendo um número mais elevado dos localizados principalmente nas regiões de cópia única. Nos plastomas das duas espécies foram localizados e caracterizados seis hotspots de divergência de nucleotídeos entre as espécies em estudo, todos localizados na região de cópia única. Baseadas no plastoma de 36 espécies pertencentes à família Arecaceae, as árvores filogenômicas obtidas por duas análises estatísticas mostraram um alto valor de suporte para as relações entre as tribos amostradas, incluindo o gênero Euterpe dentro da tribo Euterpeae. Por tanto, o sequenciamento permitiu caracterizar o genoma plastidial, identificar sequências repetidas e microssatélites, detectar pontos de divergência gênica, analisar divergência dos genes e previsão de edição de mRNA nas duas espécies do gênero Euterpe, que serão úteis para seleção de dados em futuros estudos filogenéticos e evolutivos da tribo e dentro da família Arecaceae. Palavras-Chave: Arecaceae. Filogenia. Açaí. Genética de cloroplastos. Diversidade genética.Item Caracterização fisiológica do gene homólogo ao transportador mitocondrial sucinato-fumarato (SFC1) de Arabidopsis thaliana em Solanum tuberosum(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2012-07-20) Brito, Danielle Santos; Nesi, Adriano Nunes; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3177036222169807Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar o papel fisiológico do transportador mitocondrial de sucinato-fumarato (mSFC1) em plantas de Solanum tuberosum. Para tanto, introduziu-se no genoma da batata um cassete contendo um fragmento do gene que codifica o SFC1 em Arabidopsis thaliana (AtmSFC1), cuja expressão foi reduzida pela técnica de RNA de interferência (RNAi). Por meio da técnica de PCR em tempo real a expressão do gene StSFC1, homólogo a AtmSFC1, foi quantificada. As linhas com menor expressão foram posteriormente cultivadas em casa de vegetação para as análises de trocas gasosas, parâmetros de fluorescência da clorofila a e de crescimento, bem como análises bioquímicas. Os resultados obtidos revelaram que, apesar de as linhas transgênicas apresentarem uma maior biomassa na parte aérea, a redução na expressão de StSFC1 não proporcionou nenhuma alteração fisiológica e bioquímica significante nas variáveis analisadas em folhas. Já em tubérculos, observou-se um decréscimo significativo nos níveis de amido nas linhas transgênicas, em relação ao controle. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que o gene SFC1 em batata parece possuir uma função fisiológica minoritária em tecidos autotróficos como folhas. Entretanto, em tecidos heterotróficos, como tubérculos em desenvolvimento, a ausência do transportador leva a alterações metabólicas que podem limitar o acúmulo e/ou a síntese de amido nos amiloplastos.Item Embriogênese somática, expressão do gene SERK em Passiflora ligularis Juss. e influência da irradiância no desenvolvimento e metabolismo secundário in vitro de P. mollissima Bailey H.B.K(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2013-10-18) Deantonio Florido, Leidy Yibeth; Otoni, Wagner Campos; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5593846696926121O presente estudo abordou duas áreas da cultura de tecidos in vitro aplicada ao gênero Passiflora: a regeneração de plantas via embriogênese somática e a biossíntese de metabólitos secundários influenciados pela irradiância. Os objetivos do presente estudo foram estabelecer um protocolo de indução de embriogênese somática a partir de embriões zigóticos maduros caracterizando a expressão do gene SERK durante a morfogênese de Passiflora ligularis, e analisar a influência da irradiância no desenvolvimento vegetal e metabolismo secundário in vitro de Passiflora mollissima. No primeiro capítulo é apresentado um protocolo de indução de embriogênese somática a partir de embriões zigóticos para Passiflora ligularis e a caracterização da expressão do gene SERK por hibridização in situ. Embriões zigóticos maduros foram incubados em meio Murashige & Skoog (MS) suplementado com a combinação de 45,2 µM de ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético (2,4-D), 2,2 µM de 6-benziladenina (BA) e 2,3 µM de thidiazuron (TDZ) induzindo a formação de calos embriogênicos e embriões somáticos em estádio globular com padrões similares a outras Passifloras. O teste histoquímico de dupla coloração com carmim acético e azul de Evans confirmou a competência embriogênica do material. Amostras coletadas aos 5, 15 e 35 dias no meio de indução e 5 dias no meio de maturação foram analisadas quanto a expressão do gene SERK por hibridização in situ com sonda heteróloga de Passiflora cincinnata SERK (PcSERK ) confirmando a expressão do gene, particularmente com um sinal forte ao quinto dia no meio de maturação. Para P. ligularis as informações deste estudo constituem o primeiro relato dos eventos de indução e expressão gênica da embriogênese somática a partir de embriões zigóticos. No segundo capítulo objetivou-se avaliar a influência da irradiância no desenvolvimento vegetal e metabolismo secundário de vitroplantas de Passiflora mollissima. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, os tratamentos foram constituídos de três níveis de irradiância fornecidos por lâmpadas de diodo emissor de luz (LED) e fluorescentes (LF): 2LED (33 µmol m -2 s -1 ), 4LED (57 µmol m -2 s -1 ) e 2LF (21µmol m -2 s -1 ). Observou-se influência da irradiância no crescimento e desenvolvimento das vitroplantas. O perfil fitoquímico foi realizado por meio da Cromatografia de Camada Delgada (CCD), para os extratos de folhas, caules e raízes. Encontrou-se que os níveis de irradiância estimularam a biossíntese de taninos, terpenoides, esteroides, saponinas e flavonoides. Segundo a análise histoquímica, os taninos alocam-se nas raízes de P. mollissima. A concentração de flavonoides C- glicosilados (orientina, vitexina e isovitexina) e tanino (ácido tânico) foram determinados pela Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência (CLAE), sendo constatada a interação entre a irradiância e o tipo de órgão na concentração destes compostos fenólicos. A irradiância fornecida com 2LED favorece o aumento na concentração de orientina (1,50 µg g -1 ) e vitexina (6,63 µg g -1 ) nas folhas, 4LED de isovitexina na raiz (0,33 µg g -1 ), e 2LF de ácido tânico na raiz (1,99 µg g -1 ). Para P. mollissima este é o primeiro relato da influência da irradiância no metabolismo secundário, o que contribui à realização de futuros trabalhos e melhoramento dos sistemas de produção de compostos fenólicos in vitro a partir desta espécie.Item The role of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase during water deficit and recovery in Arabidopsis thaliana(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2018-02-18) Vargas, Jonas Rafael; Nesi, Adriano Nunes; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9028236058582130To deal with periods of water limitation, plants use different mechanisms. Among them, stomatal closure and proline accumulation are the major ones during stress exposure. After stress, proline is degraded releasing glutamate in the mitochondrial matrix. The glutamate is metabolized by different metabolic pathways and may: (i) participate in nitrogen metabolism, being used for ammonia assimilation under the action of enzymes like Glutamine synthetase (GS) and Glutamine 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT), (ii) being reintroduced in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) as succinate via GABA shunt activity or (iii) enter the TCA cycle as 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) when undergoing the action of the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase. 2-OG is converted into succinyl-CoA by the action of the enzyme 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (2-OGDH). In order to understand the importance of 2-OGDH during water deficit and stress release, two T-DNA insertion lines with low expression of the E1 subunit of 2-OGDH encoding gene, e1-ogdh1.1 and 1.2 were submitted to drought conditions for 22 days and then, after rewatering, three days of recovery period. This work revealed that the TCA cycle goes through downregulation in such a way that allows plants to cope with water deficit and that following recovery period its activity is reestablished. Furthermore, it was observed that the reduction in the activity of 2-OGDH did not demonstrate great impact in the metabolism during the implementation and recovery of water deficit. Keywords: abiotic stress; metabolism; proline; TCA cycle; 2-OGDH.Item In vitro neoformation of organs in Bixa orellana L.: morphoanatomy, cloning and characterization of pluripotency-associated putative transcription factors(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2016-07-28) Correia, Ludmila Nayara de Freitas; Otoni, Wagner Campos; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0302170800368756Pluripotency is the characteristic of plant cells that allows a single cell to originate the tissues that will compose the plant body. Organogenesis is a regeneration pathway with basis of these principles to induce organ neoformation. The plant growth hormones associated with molecular events are essential to the success of these morphogenic pathways. Thus, the objectives of this study were: to evaluate the morphogenic response in vitro from different explants of Bixa orellana submitted to organogenic induction; to characterize the cytological changes that occur during shoot and root formation, as well as to follow the mobilization of reserves, and to isolate and characterize genes expressed during the organogenic events. To assess the shoot formation, hypocotyls, injured hypocotyls, rooted hypocotyls with reversed polarity, and petiolate leaves were inoculated in JADS medium, supplemented with B5 vitamins, sucrose (3% w/v), myo- inositol (0.01% w/v), agar (0.6% w/v) and 4.56 μM zeatin, or 2.07 μM meta-topolin, or 4.14 μM meta-topolin. Samples with 0, 3, 6, 9, 18, 21, 24 and 30 days were collected for light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and histochemical tests following specific protocols. In order to assess the root formation, plantlets were inoculated in JADS medium in similar conditions as cited above, but with 0 or 2.46 μM indolilbutyric acid (IBA). After 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 18 and 20 days, samples were collected to perform the same analyses mentioned before. Total RNA was extracted from the organogenic material, from which the cDNA was obtained and used as a template for the amplification of coding sequences using degenerate primers for BABY BOOM (BBM) and SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM). It was observed that in Bixa orellana zeatin and meta-topolin induced shoot formation, but the injured hypocotyls as well as rooted hypocotyls with reversed polarity optimized the process when compared with hypocotyl and petiolate leaves. The first cell divisions were observed in the first weeks of culture in induction medium, especially in explants cultured in medium supplemented with zeatin. After 30 days of cultivation, zeatin and meta-topolin induced the formation of leaf primordia in the evaluated explants. Proteins were evidenced mainly in rooted hypocotyls and petiolate leaves. Starch grains were found in all types of explant evaluated, and a gradual increase in the concentration of this reserve compound was observed during the induction period. The neutral red test did not indicate the presence of lipids during the organogenic process. Plantlets inoculated in JADS with IBA have cell divisions after four days of culture, originating lateral root primordia. The maintenance in the induction medium supplemented with IBA for 20 days led to the formation of lateral roots. In the same period, lateral root primordia were observed in the control. The histochemical tests evidenced the presence of protein, which were consumed during the organogenic event, in addition to starch grains and lipids present in all evaluated days. Consensus sequence obtained from BBM and STM degenerate primers were cloned and sequenced. The consensus sequences obtained were compared to non-redundant protein databases NCBI, Phytozomee TAIR, using the BLAST algorithm. The analysis and alignment of sequences yielded three contigs similar to members of APETALA2-like family, especially BBM, WRINKLED (WRI) and AINTEGUMENTA (ANT), and three contigs with high similarity to transcription factors of Class I KNOX, especially STM. These results demonstrate the morphogenetic responses of different types of explants subjected to induction medium, and the possible members of the AP2-like and Class I KNOX families cloned from the analyzed sequences, which are associated with the acquisition of competence for in vitro organogenesis in Bixa orellana.Item Manipulation of source-to-sink ratios in girdled coffee branches evidences lack of photosynthetic down-regulation: the interplay of photosynthesis with respiration and photorespiration pathways and amino acid metabolism(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2016-02-25) Avila, Rodrigo Teixeira; Matta, Fábio Murilo da; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6404622647636394We aimed to gain a better understanding on how the regulation of photosynthesis in coffee depends on sink activity or carbohydrate build-up in source leaves and how the coffee tree adjusts its photosynthetic performance and primary metabolism to varying source-to-sink ratios. For these purposes, we use integrative approaches combining gas- exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements, analyses of carbohydrates and major metabolites, activities of a range of enzymes and the expression of some genes encoding for key enzymes of the carbon metabolism to achieve a holistic view of the whole leaf metabolism in response to long-term source-to-sink manipulation. We designed a field experiment by girdling coffee branches that were further manipulated by controlled defoliation and/or defruiting so that three highly varying source-to-sink ratios were created. We found that under remarkably high source-to-sink ratios photosynthesis rates were chiefly limited by diffusive factors (that were apparently unrelated to whole-leaf abscisic acid) with no apparent signs of feedback down- regulation. Lack of down-regulation was associated with an enormous capacity for starch accumulation coupled with maintenance of low levels of soluble sugars. Chronic Chronic photoinhibition and photodamage could be avoided through adjustments in leaf photochemistry, photorespiration and respiration amongst other processes. No major metabolic reprograming was found at the level of key enzymes associated with carbon metabolism. Metabolic adjustments in source leaves were more evident under high-sink demand conditions and centered more on nitrogen metabolism than on carbon metabolism. In conclusion, our results offer novel insights on the high coordination between the source supply and sink demand in coffee trees, with no evident signs of photosynthetic down-regulation even under dramatically low-sink conditions.Item Expressão da proteína HSP60 humana (HSPD1) em alface (Lactuca sativa L.) na prevenção da colite experimental(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2017-08-04) Faria, Raquel de Oliveira; Otoni, Wagner Campos; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8374360341330487As plantas são plataformas atrativas para produção de proteínas recombinantes, por possuírem maquinaria capaz de reproduzir muitas das modificações pós-traducionais de mamíferos e não carrear viroses, patógenos ou oncogenes humanos. Ainda, a produção de proteínas-alvo recombinantes pode ocorrer em partes comestíveis das plantas, o que possibilita a administração oral de proteínas terapêuticas por meio de produtos vegetais frescos ou parcialmente processados. Uma das possibilidades de uso dessas proteínas recombinantes é para o tratamento de doenças autoimunes e inflamatórias crônicas. Nesses casos, induz-se a tolerância oral, que é um tipo de tolerância imunológica em que o organismo animal é capaz de reconhecer determinados antígenos, mas não desencadear resposta imunológica, sendo esta tolerância induzida pela exposição prévia a este antígeno. Os eventos imunológicos desencadeados nas superfícies mucosas têm repercussões sistêmicas de natureza fisiológica ou patológica. Portanto, se a tolerância oral induzir mecanismos de imunorregulação eficientes, ocorrerá também o tratamento de doenças autoimunes e inflamatórias crônicas. Para isso, na presente proposta elegeu-se a proteína HSP60, já conhecida pelo seu potencial em modular doenças autoimunes e inflamações, com o objetivo de gerar plantas transgênicas de alface (Lactuca sativa L.) expressando a proteína HSP60 humana (HSPD1). Com essa finalidade, sintetizou-se o vetor para expressão em plantas contendo o gene HSP60 humano otimizado e transformou-se cotilédones de alface via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. A transgenia das plantas foi avaliada por PCR e Southern blot das linhagens T0, T1 e T2 e foram confirmados 4 eventos independentes. Folhas liofilizadas de plantas transgênicas com 45 dias de idade foram administradas a camundongos da linhagem C57BL/6 para verificar sua eficácia no tratamento de colite ulcerativa experimental induzida por DSS. Os bioensaios sugerem a presença e efetividade da proteína humana recombinante. A média de perda de peso do grupo DSS foi de 7,87%; do grupo Dieta alface + DSS foi de 4,90%; e do grupo Dieta alface HSP60 + DSS foi de 1,69%. Essa é uma evidência que houve melhora do quadro clínico de colite pela ingestão apenas de alface e uma melhora ainda mais significativa pela ingestão de alface produtora de HSP60 humana recombinante. Também houve melhora na avaliação histológica dos tecidos do cólon dos camundongos tratados com alface transgênica produtora de HSP60 humana e com DSS, em relação aos controles, que se alimentaram de alface não transgênica e DSS ou apenas de DSS. Esses resultados indicam o potencial uso clínico da alface geneticamente modificada expressando HSP60 humana para a prevenção e o tratamento de doenças autoimunes e inflamatórias crônicas, mediante a ativação da tolerância oral.Item Physiological and biochemical changes on rice plants supplied with glutamate in response to Pyricularia oryzae infection(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2018-07-20) Dias, Carla da Silva; Rodrigues, Fabrício Ávila; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0497776503129914Considering the importance of blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, to decrease rice yield worldwide, this study aimed to assess the photosynthetic performance (leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence as well as the photosynthetic pigments concentration), the activities of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST)) and concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in leaves of plants non-supplied (-Glu) or supplied (+Glu) with glutamate (Glu). Blast severity and the number of lesions per cm 2 of leaf were significantly lower for +Glu plants in comparison to -Glu plants. On the infected leaves of +Glu plants, the values for internal CO 2 concentration were lower while the values for net carbon assimilation rate, stomatal conductance as well as for the concentrations of Chl a, Chl b, and carotenoids were higher in comparison to infected leaves of -Glu plants. The functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus was preserved on the infected leaves of +Glu plants. The activities of CAT, GPX, GR, POX, and SOD increased on the infected leaves of both -Glu and +Glu plants compared to their non-inoculated counterparts, but their activities were lower for +Glu plants. The lower activities of these antioxidative enzymes was triggered by the reduced hydrogen peroxide concentration on the infected leaves of +Glu plants that resulted in lower malondialdehyde concentration. For inoculated +Glu plants, the activities of β-1-3- glucanase, chitinase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, and polyphenoloxidases as well as the concentrations of total soluble phenolics and lignin-thioglycolic acid derivatives were significantly higher for inoculated +Glu plants in comparison to inoculated -Glu ones. Based on the data from the present study, it can be concluded that photosynthesis was less impaired on plants supplied with glutamate and infected by P. oryzae due to the lower biochemical constraints for CO 2 fixation. There was a need for lower activities of reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes on the infected leaves of plants supplied with glutamate due to the lower oxidative stress as a result of P. oryzae infection. Moreover, blast severity was reduced on Glu supplied plants due to an increase on the activities of defense enzymes and high concentrations of phenolics and lignin.Item Effects of gibberellin deficiency in the root-shoot adjustments during water deficit in tomato plants(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2017-07-31) Garcia, Rebeca Patricia Omena; Nesi, Adriano NunesGibberellins (GAs) belong to a class of plant hormones with multiple functions in the regulation of physiological processes associated with growth and development. It has been suggested that GAs also play an important role for plant tolerance to a range of adverse conditions. Especially on water deficit, little is known about the physiological and metabolic implications of changes in the endogenous GAs levels in plants. GAs are synthesized in young and actively growing organs in both leaves and roots being able to act locally or be transported to other tissues or organs. For a better understanding of the GAs effects on growth and tolerance to water deficit distinct experimental approaches were adopted. The first approach aimed to identify the physiological and metabolic effects of reduced GAs levels in tomato mutant plants, defective in GA biosynthesis, exposed to water deficit. The second approach aimed to understand the role of GA in root growth, morphology and primary metabolism, while the third approach aimed at understanding the regulation of organ growth through long-distance traffic of signaling molecules by conducting vessels in GA-deficient plants. The results presented in this thesis provided new information for the current knowledge involving GAs such as: (i) GA content promotes acclimatization and tolerance to water deficiency by altering the metabolism of proline and directing the biomass partitioning to the roots, maintaining leaf turgor; (ii) GAs alter the metabolism of amino acids and organic acids promoting greater root growth compared to shoot suggesting that root growth and primary metabolism is decoupled from shoot in GA deficient plants; (iii) shoot and root growth is reversed in scions and rootstocks mutant probably due to long-distance signals transport between these organs, and the GAs mobility may be strongly involved. Thus, the results presented here demonstrate that GAs are involved not only in regulating plant growth as a whole but also in stress responses.Item The functions of gibberellin in different tissues of the tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum L.)(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2017-07-31) Martins, Auxiliadora Oliveira; Araújo, Wagner Luiz; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0079593338103920This thesis is largely focused on improving the current understanding about the role played by gibberellins (GAs) levels in different tissues and in the fruit development process. Two well- defined goals were established: (I) to gain more insights into how and to which extent manipulation of GA levels might differently affect plant growth in general; (II) to generate experimental evidences for the role GAs play during the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase. For this, we firstly reviewed the current evidence of the connection between central energy and GAs metabolism, via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The key point at this process is the 2- oxoglutarate, a TCA cycle intermediate, which has been suggested to play a role in the control of GA biosynthesis. This control is due to the fact that the enzymes responsible, ultimately for the maintenance of the pool of bioactive GAs, are dependent on 2-oxoglutarate as cofactor. Following, different but complementary experiments were carried out using wild type (WT) and mutant tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants in the GAs biosynthesis (gib3: moderately deficient, gib2: moderately deficient and gib1: extremely deficient). In the first experiment WT plants and the mutants were used to investigate, in details, the metabolic and physiological impacts of the variation of GA levels in shoot and root tissues. The results showed that, in general, depletion in the endogenous GAs levels promoted greater impacts on leaf tissues when compared to root tissues. In both tissues, gib3 mutant plants were very similar to WT. On the other hand, gib2 and gib1 mutant plants presented drastic and gradual reductions in carbohydrate contents in the foliar tissues, with relatively fewer alterations in roots. Similar behavior was also observed for malate and fumarate. It should be noted that these reductions largely follow the pattern of the reduction of the endogenous GAs content. We also observed that, although the total amino acid pool was not strongly impacted, the individual profile of amino acids was significantly altered with the highest variations occurring in the shoots of gib2 and gib1 mutant plants. These results suggest a differential fine-tuning of metabolism as a function of GA content fluctuations in shoot and roots. The second experiment was conducted with the same genotype as described previously, and the impact of GA reduction on flowering and fruit development was evaluated. Reductions in GA levels affected the reproductive process in gib2 and gib1 mutant plants, thus compromising the natural perpetuation of the genotypes, since floral development was restricted at the bud level. Few variations were observed between WT and gib3 mutant plants in relation to the flowering process, production and final fruit morphology. When evaluating fruit development in three different phases during ripening, we observed that both morphology and metabolism were altered in the early stages, with generally lower values in fruits of gib3. However, at the final stage of the ripening the phenotype is completely recovered. Thus, our results indicate that the changes occurred in the transition from semi autotrophic to completely heterotrophic metabolism and that the reduced GAs content verified in gib3 mutant promotes only a delay in fruit development in good agreement with the action of this hormone being only reported in the early stages of fruit development. The effect of impaired GA biosynthesis appears to be fairly specific, particularly on floral establishment and metabolic reprogramming during fruit development.