Abstract
Changes in gene expression and tissue composition were investigated during foliar development and natural senescence of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.). Three phases in development and senescence of the foliage were characterized: early fern growth, mature fern, and senescence, when a marked loss of chlorophyll, sucrose, and protein occurred and major changes in translatable mRNAs were detected. Transcripts for three asparagus spear harvest-induced cDNA clones, pTIP9, pTIP11, and pTIP12 (G.A. King and K.M. Davies [1992] Plant Physiol 100: 1661-1669), accumulated during natural foliar senescence, suggesting that the underlying regulatory mechanisms may be similar in both developmental situations. We have used our knowledge of asparagus spear physiology, the probable proteins encoded by the cDNA clones, and our fern development data to propose that sugar depletion regulates the accumulation of at least pTIP12 transcripts in senescing asparagus tissue.