Role of expansins in fruit development.

Abstract Expansins are cell-wall-loosening proteins and their presence and various roles have been discovered in many plants. In fruit development, expansin gene expression has an effect on pollen germination, pollen tube elongation, fruit cell division and expansion, ripening and abscission. Generally, expansin gene expression is elevated during the early stages as volume increases, after which expression decreases. Ripening-related expansin genes increase again during the fruit softening stage. Most expansin genes related with ripening are controlled by the plant hormone ethylene. We can use the ripening-related expansin genes for the control of fruit firmness or changes in texture.