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Fruit ripening includes several metabolic changes that lead to sweeter and softer fruit. Pectin depolymerization is one of major factors that softens developing grape berries. Pectin lyases (PLs) play important roles in pectin degradation in the grape berry. However, little is known about the temporal and spatial expression of grapevine (<i>Vitis</i> spp.) pectin lyase genes (<i>VvPLs</i>) or their function during fruit ripening and softening. In this study, 18 individual <i>VvPL</i> genes were identified in the grape genome. All <i>VvPL</i> genes were sorted into group I and group II, except <i>VvPL12</i> which demonstrated higher and similar expression trends in different tissues and organs. In grape berry, <i>VvPL1</i>, <i>5</i>, <i>7</i>, <i>11</i> and <i>16</i> were highly expressed, whereas <i>VvPL18</i>, <i>15</i>, <i>2</i>, <i>13</i>, <i>10</i>, <i>14</i>, <i>17</i>, <i>6</i> and <i>8</i> showed lower expression levels at different berry developmental stages. Expression of <i>VvPL11</i> firstly increased and then decreased, and the highest expression was shown at 6 weeks after full bloom (WAFB) during berry development. Over-expression of the <i>VvPL11</i> gene in tomato caused higher ethylene production and lower firmness compared to wild-type fruit. Moreover, decreased propectin and increased water-soluble pectin (WSP) levels were observed in <i>VvPL11</i> transgenic tomato fruit. Consistent with this result, the expression levels of <i>SlPG2</i>, <i>SlEXP</i>, and <i>SlPME1</i>, all of which are genes involved in fruit softening, were up-regulated in <i>VvPL11</i>-OE tomato fruit, which supported the idea that <i>VvPL11</i> plays an important role in fruit ripening and softening. This study provided a comprehensive analysis of the grapevine PL family and advanced our knowledge of the functions of <i>VvPLs</i> during fruit softening.