EXPRESSION OF GENES ASSOCIATED WITH NATURAL PARTHENOCARPY IN TOMATO OVARIES

In vitro translation products of RNAs isolated from tomato ovaries at anthesis were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electroph oresis. A non-parthenocarpic line and a near isogenic parthenocarpic ( pat-2) line were used. Comparison of in vitro translation products fro m non-parthenocarpic and parthenocarpic ovaries showed the differentia l expression associated with natural parthenocarpy for at least six in vitro translation products. Analysis of fluorographs also confirmed t he differential expression pattern from preanthesis to anthesis of a 3 0-kDa protein previously described by the authors in RNAs isolated fro m complete flowers of pat-2 and pat-3/pat-4 materials.