Banana (Musa acuminata, AAA group) is a representative climacteric fruit with essential nutrients and pleasant flavors. Control of its ripening determines both the fruit quality and the shelf life. NAC (NAM, ATAF, CUC2) proteins, as one of the largest superfamilies of transcription factors, play crucial roles in various functions, especially developmental processes. Thus, it is important to conduct a comprehensive identification and characterization of the NAC transcription factor family at the genomic level in M. acuminata. In this article, a total of 181 banana NAC genes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that NAC genes in M. acuminata, Arabidopsis, and rice were clustered into 18 groups (S1–S18), and MCScanX analysis disclosed that the evolution of MaNAC genes was promoted by segmental duplication events. Expression patterns of NAC genes during banana fruit ripening induced by ethylene were investigated using RNA-Seq data, and 10 MaNAC genes were identified as related to fruit ripening. A subcellular localization assay of selected MaNACs revealed that they were all localized to the nucleus. These results lay a good foundation for the investigation of NAC genes in banana toward the biological functions and evolution.

In this study, the non‐targeted large‐scale plant metabolomics (UPLC‐Q‐Orbitrap‐MS) was performed for the comparison of chemical profiling of the leaves, barks, flowers, peels, pulps, and seeds of Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels (called “wampee”). A total of 364 metabolites were identified, and 62 potential biomarkers were selected by the multivariate statistical analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis suggested that the selected biomarkers were significant differential metabolites among various parts of wampee. Metabolic pathway analysis showed a significant enrichment of the “Flavone and flavonol synthesis” and “Isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis” pathway. This study provides important information for the isolation and identification of functional components from different tissues of wampee and the metabolic biosynthesis pathway elucidation in detail.

Citrus grandis “Tomentosa” (“Huajuhong”) is a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine. In this study, a total of 18 jumonji C (JMJC) domain-containing proteins were identified from C. grandis. The 18 CgJMJCs were unevenly located on six chromosomes of C. grandis. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that they could be classified into five groups, namely KDM3, KDM4, KDM5, JMJC, and JMJD6. The domain structures and motif architectures in the five groups were diversified. Cis-acting elements on the promoters of 18 CgJMJC genes were also investigated, and the abscisic acid-responsive element (ABRE) was distributed on 15 CgJMJC genes. Furthermore, the expression profiles of 18 CgJMJCs members in the exocarps of three varieties of “Huajuhong”, for different developmental stages, were examined. The results were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The present study provides a comprehensive characterization of JMJC domain-containing proteins in C. grandis and their expression patterns in the exocarps of C. grandis “Tomentosa” for three varieties with various development stages.

Citrus grandis “Tomentosa” (“Huajuhong”) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of the present study is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the m⁶A regulatory genes from C. grandis, and examine their expression patterns in fruits of C. grandis “Tomentosa” during various developmental stages. A total of 26 N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) regulatory proteins were identified from the genome of C. grandis, which were distributed across nine chromosomes in C. grandis. Phylogenetic relationships revealed that all m⁶A regulatory genes were divided into groups of m⁶A writers, erasers, and readers. The m⁶A writer groups included CgMTA, CgMTB, and CgMTC three MTs (methyltransferases), one CgVIR (virilizer), one CgHAKAI (E3 ubiquitin ligase HAKAI), and one CgFIP37 (FKBP interacting protein 37). Moreover, 10 CgALKBH (α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase homolog) members (numbered from CgALKBH1 to CgALKBH10) and 10 CgECT (C-terminal region) members (numbered from CgECT1 to CgECT10) in C. grandis were identified as m⁶A erasers and readers, respectively. The domain structures and motif architectures among the groups of m⁶A writers, erasers, and readers were diverse. Cis-acting elements in the promoters of the 26 m⁶A regulatory genes predicted that the abscisic acid-responsive (ABA) element (ABRE) was present on the promoters of 19 genes. In addition, the expression profiles of all m⁶A regulatory genes were examined in the fruits of two varieties of C. grandis “Tomentosa” during different growth stages to give basic hints for further investigation of the function of the N6-methyladenosine regulatory genes in C. grandis “Tomentosa”.