Different periderm development makes the partial and full russet skin of pear fruit, which negatively influence pear fruit appearance quality. The switch gene for russet skin formation and the functional conservation of the homologs among different species showed to have multiple significance to clarify the transcriptional network underlying russet skin formation. In this study, two pear cultivars coupled with their mutants were used to explore the underlying molecular regulatory network of russet skin formation. RNA-sequencing and metabolomics were used to identify the key pathways and switch genes involved in russet skin formation, and identified genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, suberin biosynthesis, and suberin transporters. Additionally, a set of transcription factors was identified via coexpression network analysis and differential expression analysis, including PbMYB308, PbbHLH49, PbWRKY24, and PbNAC40, which had a high correlation with russet skin-related genes. These genes were predicted as putative regulators involved in russet pear skin formation. qRT–PCR was performed to validate the transcriptome data. Two varieties and their mutants were used for the first time to explore the switch genes and underlying mechanisms of russet formation. We concentrated on the russet skin development in pear fruit, with an emphasis on exploring the underlying regulatory mechanisms.

不同的周皮发育使梨果实的表皮部分或饱满呈赤褐色，对梨果实的外观品质产生不利影响。黄褐色皮肤形成的开关基因和不同物种间同源物的功能保守性显示出对阐明黄褐色皮肤形成背后的转录网络具有多重意义。在这项研究中，两个梨品种及其突变体被用来探索赤褐色果皮形成的潜在分子调控网络。RNA 测序和代谢组学被用于鉴定赤褐色皮肤形成中涉及的关键途径和开关基因，并鉴定了涉及木质素生物合成、木栓质生物合成和木栓质转运蛋白的基因。此外，PbMYB308、PbbHLH49、PbWRKY24和PbNAC40，与黄褐斑皮肤相关基因高度相关。这些基因被预测为与黄褐色梨皮形成有关的推定调节因子。进行 qRT-PCR 以验证转录组数据。首次使用两个品种及其突变体探索黄褐色形成的转换基因和潜在机制。我们专注于梨果实的赤褐色表皮发育，重点是探索潜在的调控机制。