FIGURE 7.
Relative expression of genes of the tocopherol-core pathway in the pulp during fruit maturation of grapefruit (C. paradisi), lemon (C. limon), sweet orange (C. sinensis), and mandarin (C. clementine). The genes analyzed were VTE2 (HPT, homogentisate phytyl transferase), VTE3a and VTE3b (MPBQ-MT, 2-methyl-6-phytyl-1,4-benzoquinol methyltransferase a and b), VTE1 (TC, tocopherol cyclase), and VTE4 (γ-TMT, γ-tocopherol methyltransferase). Maturation stages correspond to immature green (IG), mature green (MG), breaker (Br), and mature (M). The data are mean ± SE of at least three replicates (Supplementary Table 12). Different letters indicate significant mean differences among maturation stages for each fruit specie (Tukey’s test, p ≤ 0.05).