Physiological and molecular features of FAD gene family members during fruit ripening and senescence

Abstract：Fatty acid desaturation enzyme（FAD）,as a membrane bound protein,catalyzes the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids.In plants,FAD is located in endoplasmic reticulum and plastid,and can be divided into omega-3 and omega-6 types according to substrates and catalytic products.FAD usually exists as gene family,which is involved in the process of plant development and growth by influencing the composition of fatty acids.More and more studies have shown that there were functional differences of FAD gene family members in response to stresses and during fruit ripening and senescence.Recent advances in physiological and molecular features of FAD during fruit ripening and senescence were reviewed in the present paper.The present review covered function and regulation mechanism of FAD gene family during fruit ripening and senescence,reviewed the relationship between FAD genes expression and fatty acids profile,adaption to low temperature storage,and biosynthesis of aroma-related volatile compounds in fruit during ripening and senescence.Based on results from the past decade,scientific questions in terms of regulation of FAD gene family during fruit ripening and senescence were suggested for further study.