Changes in Cell Wall Components and Cell Wall-degrading enzymes during Softening of Fruits

과실의 연화중에 세포벽 성분과 세포벽분해효소의 변화

The cell wall components of fruit include cellulose. hemicellulose, pectin, glycoprotein etc., and the cell wall composition differs according to the kind of fruit. Fruit softening occurs as a result of a change in the cell wall polysaccharides : the middle lamella which links primary cell walls is composed of pectin. and primary cell walls are decomposed by a solution of middle lamella caused due to a result of pectin degradation by pectin degrading enzymes during ripening and softening, During fruit ripening and softening, contents of arabinose and galactose among non-cellulosic neutral sugars are notably decreased, and this occurs as a result of the degradation of pectin during fruit repening and softening since they are side-chained with pectin in the form of arabinogalactan and galactan Enzymes involved in the degradation of the cell wall include polygalacturonase, cellulose, pectinmethylesterase, glycosidase, etc., and various studies have been done on the change in enzyme activities during the ripening and softning of fruit. Among cell wall-degrading enzymes, polygalacturonase has the greatest effect on fruit softening, and its activity Increases during the maturating and softening of fruit. This softening leads to the textural change of fruit as a result of the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides by a cell wall degrading enzyme which exists in fruit.