Sugar content and expression of sugar metabolism-related gene in strawberry fruits from various cultivars

Strawberry (Fragaria ${\times}$ ananassa) is a globally-cultivated and popular fruit crop, prized for its flavor and nutritional value. Sweetness, a key determinant of fruit quality, depends on the sugar composition and concentration. We selected eight strawberry cultivars based on the fruit soluble solids content to represent high and low sugar content groups. The average soluble solid content was $13.6^{\circ}Brix$ (Okmae, Geumsil, Aram, and Maehyang) and $2.9^{\circ}Brix$ (Missionary, Camino Real, Portola, and Gilgyung53), for the high and low sugar content groups, respectively. Sucrose was the main sugar in the cultivars with high sugar content, whereas fructose was the main component in the low sugar content cultivars. Fruit starch concentration ranged from $3.247{\pm}0.056$ to $3.850{\pm}0.055g/100g$, with a 12% higher concentration in the high sugar content cultivars. Additionally, we identified 41 sugar metabolism-related genes in Fragaria ${\times}$ ananassa and analyzed the relationship between their transcripts and the sugar accumulation in fruit. FaGPT1, FaTMT1, FaHXK1, FaPHS1, FaINVA-3, and FacxINV2-1 were highly expressed in the high sugar content cultivars, while FapGlcT, FaTMT2-1, FaPHS2-1, FaSUSY1-1, and FaSUSY1-2 were highly expressed in the low sugar content cultivars. In general, a greater number of genes encoding sugar transporters or involved in sugar synthesis were highly expressed in the high sugar content cultivars. Contrarily, genes involved in sugar degradation were preferentially transcribed in the low sugar content cultivars. Although gene expression was not perfectly proportional to sugar content or concentration, our analysis of the genes involved in sugar metabolism and accumulation in strawberries provides a framework for further studies and for the subsequent engineering of sugar metabolism to enhance fruit quality.