Cloning and characterization of five cDNAs for genes differentially expressed during fruit development of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa var. deliciosa).

Five cDNAs for genes differentially expressed during fruit development of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa var. deliciosa cv. Hayward) were isolated from a library made from young fruit, 8-10 days after anthesis. One gene (pKIWI503) has low levels of expression in young fruit but is induced late in fruit development and during fruit ripening, and has some homology to plant metallothionein-like proteins. The other four genes are highly expressed in young fruit with reduced expression in the later stages of fruit development. pKIWI504 has strong homology to plant metallothionein-like proteins and pKIWI505 exhibits homology to the beta-subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase gene. The two other genes (pKIWI501 and 502) encode proteins with no significant homology to other known sequences.