Mango (Mangifera indica L.) with its distinct seed, pulp, and peel tissues plays key roles in ripening, quality, and defence. In 2023, mango production in Australia reached 74,900 tonnes. This study aimed to uncover tissue- and variety-specific molecular differences in mango fruit by integrating qualitative and quantitative proteomics, and metabolomics, focusing on two commercial varieties, Kensington Pride and R2E2.
Pulp, peel, and seed tissues from both varieties were analysed using qualitative and quantitative proteomics to identify peptides, using the Mangifera indica reference proteome as a search database. For protein quantitation, Sequential Windowed Acquisition of all Theoretical Mass Spectra (SWATH-MS) was employed. Untargeted mass spectrometry metabolomics profiled metabolite variation across analysed tissues. Comparative analysis revealed significant tissue-specific and varietal differences, with the pulp displaying the highest number of identified proteins: 1,455 in Kensington Pride (911 in peel, 178 in seed) and 1,506 in R2E2 (887 in peel, 204 in seed), in addition 452 metabolites were found to be significantly differentially abundant across the three tissues of the two mango varieties.
Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed functional specialisation. The pulp was enriched in terms related to glycolysis and protein synthesis, supported by mitochondrial and ribosomal activities. Conversely, the seed was less metabolically active, showing enrichment in storage proteins and germination pathways. However, varietal differences were observed, with R2E2 seeds exhibiting higher expression of seed storage proteins, while KP seeds showed a greater presence of proteins related to dormancy maintenance. These findings suggest subtle but functionally relevant metabolic distinctions between the two varieties and underscore the pulp’s role in growth, nutrient metabolism, and flavour development.
This study highlights tissue-specific proteomic and metabolic processes influencing mango fruit composition and quality. The findings suggest that proteomic analysis could be applied across different maturity stages to identify quality markers, supporting breeding programs and post-harvest strategies.