FERONIA/FER-like receptor kinases integrate and modulate multiple signaling pathways in fruit development and ripening

Ripening of fleshy fruits is a complex process that involves dramatic changes in color, texture, flavor, and aroma, which is essentially regulated by multiple hormone signals. Although the metabolic mechanisms for the regulation of fruit development and ripening have been studied extensively, little is known about the signaling mechanisms underlying this process. FERONIA has been increasingly suggested to be implicated in multiple signaling pathways. In a recent publication, we showed that a FERONIA/FER -like receptor kinase, FaMRLK47, playes an important role in the regulation of fruit ripening in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa, a typical non-climacteric fruit) fruit. Over-expression orRNAi-mediated down regulation of FaMRLK47 caused a delay or acceleration, respectively, of fruit ripening progress. Meanwhile, overexpression orRNAi-mediated down regulation of FaMRLK47 caused a decrease or increase, respectively, in the ABA-induced expression of a series of ripening-related genes. More recently, we also found that MdFERL1, a FERONIA/FER-like receptor kinase in tomato plant, was implicated in the regulation of tomato fruit ripening via modulating ethylene production. We propose that FERONIA/FER-like receptor kinases may function to regulate fruit development and ripening via integrate multiple signaling pathways in both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits.