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Volume 14
Issue 18
10.3390/plants14182831
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

Advances in Cell Wall Dynamics and Gene Expression in Postharvest Fruit Softening

by
Xumin Wang
1,†,
Da Zhang
1,†,
Tiantian Liu
2,†,
Zhuo Yan
1,
Xinmei Ji
1,
Yusheng Li
1,
Yaqin Wu
1,
Hehe Cheng
1,
Yingjie Wang
1,
Jianchao Cui
1,
Yongjie Wu
1,* and
Long Chen
1,*
1
Changli Institute of Pomology, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinhuangdao 066600, China
2
Xianyang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Xianyang 712034, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Plants 2025, 14(18), 2831; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14182831
Submission received: 21 July 2025 / Revised: 7 September 2025 / Accepted: 8 September 2025 / Published: 10 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest and Storage of Horticultural Plants)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Postharvest fruit softening is a critical determinant of fruit shelf life, significantly influencing mechanical damage susceptibility, pathogen invasion, and consumer preference. Collectively, these factors lead to substantial losses in the fruit industry. The structural modifications of cell wall and cuticle during ripening primarily govern fruit softening. The objective of this review is to synthesize recent advances and provide a comprehensive analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying this process. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of cell wall composition and softening-associated cell wall remodeling proteins. We examine recent advances in manipulating single or multiple genes encoding cell wall-modifying proteins that influence fruit softening, and identify key transcription factors regulating the expression of these gene networks. This review synthesizes current understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing fruit ripening, providing a foundation for future research in postharvest biology.
Keywords: fruit quality; shelf life; polysaccharide metabolism; water loss; transcriptional regulation fruit quality; shelf life; polysaccharide metabolism; water loss; transcriptional regulation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, X.; Zhang, D.; Liu, T.; Yan, Z.; Ji, X.; Li, Y.; Wu, Y.; Cheng, H.; Wang, Y.; Cui, J.; et al. Advances in Cell Wall Dynamics and Gene Expression in Postharvest Fruit Softening. Plants 2025, 14, 2831. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14182831

AMA Style

Wang X, Zhang D, Liu T, Yan Z, Ji X, Li Y, Wu Y, Cheng H, Wang Y, Cui J, et al. Advances in Cell Wall Dynamics and Gene Expression in Postharvest Fruit Softening. Plants. 2025; 14(18):2831. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14182831

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Xumin, Da Zhang, Tiantian Liu, Zhuo Yan, Xinmei Ji, Yusheng Li, Yaqin Wu, Hehe Cheng, Yingjie Wang, Jianchao Cui, and et al. 2025. "Advances in Cell Wall Dynamics and Gene Expression in Postharvest Fruit Softening" Plants 14, no. 18: 2831. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14182831

APA Style

Wang, X., Zhang, D., Liu, T., Yan, Z., Ji, X., Li, Y., Wu, Y., Cheng, H., Wang, Y., Cui, J., Wu, Y., & Chen, L. (2025). Advances in Cell Wall Dynamics and Gene Expression in Postharvest Fruit Softening. Plants, 14(18), 2831. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14182831

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