Deciphering metabolic regulation in overripe grapes through multi-omics analysis of non-targeted metabolome, proteome, and transcriptome.

Background: As climate warms, the sugars and secondary metabolites in grapes gradually become uncoupled during development, resulting in the phenomenon of overripe fruit becoming more frequent around the world, especially in some arid regions. However, the key metabolic regulations to grape overripening are still poorly understood. To address this, we conducted a multi-omics study on Cabernet Sauvignon overripe berries over two years, analyzing the non-targeted metabolome, transcriptome, and proteome, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for delayed harvest strategies based on grape quality.

Results: The delayed harvests caused significant changes in berry transcriptome and proteome. Genes and proteins responding to environmental changes were up-regulated, while those related to metabolism were down-regulated, indicating the primary function of berries during the overripening stage shifted away from extensive metabolite synthesis. The key enzyme genes and proteins linked to changes in metabolites like glucose, pyruvate, malate, alanine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and resveratrol, were identified.

Conclusions: In hot regions, the overripening stage of grape berries may be detrimental to their quality. This study highlights the core molecular changes during grape overripening and offer valuable insights for optimizing grape harvest date.