Comparative large-scale gene expression analysis of grape cultivars grown in Oltrepo area in Northern Italy

This research is part of a larger project (acronym: PIDICEUVE) for the creation of an analytical platform aimed at the integrated study of ripening in grapevine using both molecular and biochemical approaches. Five different cultivars widely cultivated in northern Italy, including four red-skinned cultivars ('Croatina', 'Barbera', 'Pinot noir', and 'Pinot gris') and one white-skinned cultivar ('Riesling italico'), have been compared during the ongoing of ripening from veraison until full maturation. Gene expression analysis has been performed using the Affymetrix GeneChip (R) technology. An example of multi-varietal comparison is reported and preliminary results are discussed. Three of the 334 transcripts in common between 'Barbera', 'Pinot gris' and 'Pinot noir' cultivars showed different trends comparing the earliest, the intermediate, and the latest stages of ripening. They code for a putative type I polyketide synthase, a major allergen-like protein and a heat shock-like protein.