a b s t r a c t
Fruit development entails a multitude of biochemical changes leading up to the mature green stage.
During this period the cell wall will undergo complex compositional and structural changes. Inhibition of
genes encoding elements of the machinery involved in trafficking to the cell wall presents us with a
useful tool to study these changes and their associated phenotypes. An antisense SlRab11a transgene has
previously been shown to reduce ripening-associated fruit softening. SlRab11a is highly expressed during
fruit development which is associated with a period of pectin influx into the wall. We have analysed the
cell wall polysaccharides at different stages of growth and ripening of wild type and antisense SlRab11a
transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv, Ailsa Craig) fruit. Our results demonstrated intriguing
changes in cell wall composition during the development and ripening of wild type Alisa Craig tomato
fruit. Analysis of SlRab11a expression by TaqMan PCR showed it to be expressed most strongly during
growth of the fruit, suggesting a possible role in cell wall deposition. The SlRab11a antisense fruit had a
decreased proportion of pectin in the cell wall compared with the wild type.We suggest a new approach
for modification of fruit shelf-life by changing cell wall deposition rather than cell wall hydrolytic
enzymes.