사과의 경우 한 과총에 5개의 꽃이 피는데 그 중 한 가운데의 중심화가 먼저 개화하여 과일로 발달하고 주위의 측과 4개는 스스로 낙과되는 현상을 자가적과성이라고 한다. 적과는 인위적으로 과실의 숫자를 줄여 잎 수와 과실 수의 균형을 맞추는 작업으로 과실의 크기를 증가시키고, 수세, 수형을 유지시켜 안정적인 생산에 도움을 준다. 노동력 절감을 위해 인간에게 유용하게 사용될 수 있는 특성이 자가적과성인데, 자가적과성 품종의 사과에서 측과는 만개 후 30일
Thinning of apple fruitlets is one of the most laborious and important works for the improvement of fruit quality and for the promotion of sufficient flower bud formation to prevent alternate bearing in commercial cultivars. Lateral fruits of self-thinning apple cultivars fall naturally within 30 days after full bloom and only central fruit remains to mature. Differences of gene expression between central fruit and lateral fruit were investigated by differential display (DD) PCR. Partial cDNAs of 30 clones from the central fruit and 24 clones from the lateral fruit were selected for nucleotide sequence determination and homology searches. The levels of transcripts coding for proteins involved in pathogenesis related proteins, senescence, temperature stress, protein degradation, fruit browning, sorbitol metabolism were significantly higher in pedicels of lateral fruit than in pedicels of central fruit. On the other hand, the up-regulation of proteins involved in anthocyanin and flavanol biosynthesis and ethylene synthesis were observed in pedicels of central fruit. In Real time PCR analysis, cytochrome P450 gene was confirmed as showing a higher expression level in lateral fruit than in central fruit. The results of this study indicate that differentially expressed genes are related to self-thinning characteristics in apple tree.