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Schilmiller AL, Gilgallon K, Ghosh B, Jones AD, Last RL. Acylsugar Acylhydrolases: Carboxylesterase-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Acylsugars in Tomato Trichomes. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 170:1331-44. [PMID: 26811191 PMCID: PMC4775116 DOI: 10.1104/pp.15.01348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Glandular trichomes of cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and many other species throughout the Solanaceae produce and secrete mixtures of sugar esters (acylsugars) on the plant aerial surfaces. In wild and cultivated tomato, these metabolites consist of a sugar backbone, typically glucose or sucrose, and two to five acyl chains esterified to various positions on the sugar core. The aliphatic acyl chains vary in length and branching and are transferred to the sugar by a series of reactions catalyzed by acylsugar acyltransferases. A phenotypic screen of a set of S. lycopersicum M82 × Solanum pennellii LA0716 introgression lines identified a dominant genetic locus on chromosome 5 from the wild relative that affected total acylsugar levels. Genetic mapping revealed that the reduction in acylsugar levels was consistent with the presence and increased expression of two S. pennellii genes (Sopen05g030120 and Sopen05g030130) encoding putative carboxylesterase enzymes of the α/β-hydrolase superfamily. These two enzymes, named ACYLSUGAR ACYLHYDROLASE1 (ASH1) and ASH2, were shown to remove acyl chains from specific positions of certain types of acylsugars in vitro. A survey of related genes in M82 and LA0716 identified another trichome-expressed ASH gene on chromosome 9 (M82, Solyc09g075710; LA0716, Sopen09g030520) encoding a protein with similar activity. Characterization of the in vitro activities of the SpASH enzymes showed reduced activities with acylsugars produced by LA0716, presumably contributing to the high-level production of acylsugars in the presence of highly expressed SpASH genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L Schilmiller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (A.L.S, K.G., B.G., A.D.J., R.L.L.), Department of Chemistry (A.D.J.), and Department of Plant Biology (R.L.L.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1319
| | - Karin Gilgallon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (A.L.S, K.G., B.G., A.D.J., R.L.L.), Department of Chemistry (A.D.J.), and Department of Plant Biology (R.L.L.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1319
| | - Banibrata Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (A.L.S, K.G., B.G., A.D.J., R.L.L.), Department of Chemistry (A.D.J.), and Department of Plant Biology (R.L.L.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1319
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (A.L.S, K.G., B.G., A.D.J., R.L.L.), Department of Chemistry (A.D.J.), and Department of Plant Biology (R.L.L.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1319
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (A.L.S, K.G., B.G., A.D.J., R.L.L.), Department of Chemistry (A.D.J.), and Department of Plant Biology (R.L.L.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1319
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Tohge T, Fernie AR. Metabolomics-Inspired Insight into Developmental, Environmental and Genetic Aspects of Tomato Fruit Chemical Composition and Quality. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 56:1681-96. [PMID: 26228272 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcv093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Tomato was one of the first plant species to be evaluated using metabolomics and remains one of the best characterized, with tomato fruit being both an important source of nutrition in the human diet and a valuable model system for the development of fleshy fruits. Additionally, given the broad habitat range of members of the tomato clade and the extensive use of exotic germplasm in tomato genetic research, it represents an excellent genetic model system for understanding both metabolism per se and the importance of various metabolites in conferring stress tolerance. This review summarizes technical approaches used to characterize the tomato metabolome to date and details insights into metabolic pathway structure and regulation that have been obtained via analysis of tissue samples taken under different developmental or environmental circumstance as well as following genetic perturbation. Particular attention is paid to compounds of importance for nutrition or the shelf-life of tomatoes. We propose furthermore how metabolomics information can be coupled to the burgeoning wealth of genome sequence data from the tomato clade to enhance further our understanding of (i) the shifts in metabolic regulation occurring during development and (ii) specialization of metabolism within the tomato clade as a consequence of either adaptive evolution or domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Tohge
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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Clevenger JP, Van Houten J, Blackwood M, Rodríguez GR, Jikumaru Y, Kamiya Y, Kusano M, Saito K, Visa S, van der Knaap E. Network Analyses Reveal Shifts in Transcript Profiles and Metabolites That Accompany the Expression of SUN and an Elongated Tomato Fruit. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 168:1164-78. [PMID: 25941316 PMCID: PMC4741315 DOI: 10.1104/pp.15.00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
SUN controls elongated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) shape early in fruit development through changes in cell number along the different axes of growth. The gene encodes a member of the IQ domain family characterized by a calmodulin binding motif. To gain insights into the role of SUN in regulating organ shape, we characterized genome-wide transcriptional changes and metabolite and hormone accumulation after pollination and fertilization in wild-type and SUN fruit tissues. Pericarp, seed/placenta, and columella tissues were collected at 4, 7, and 10 d post anthesis. Pairwise comparisons between SUN and the wild type identified 3,154 significant differentially expressed genes that cluster in distinct gene regulatory networks. Gene regulatory networks that were enriched for cell division, calcium/transport, lipid/hormone, cell wall, secondary metabolism, and patterning processes contributed to profound shifts in gene expression in the different fruit tissues as a consequence of high expression of SUN. Promoter motif searches identified putative cis-elements recognized by known transcription factors and motifs related to mitotic-specific activator sequences. Hormone levels did not change dramatically, but some metabolite levels were significantly altered, namely participants in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Also, hormone and primary metabolite networks shifted in SUN compared with wild-type fruit. Our findings imply that SUN indirectly leads to changes in gene expression, most strongly those involved in cell division, cell wall, and patterning-related processes. When evaluating global coregulation in SUN fruit, the main node represented genes involved in calcium-regulated processes, suggesting that SUN and its calmodulin binding domain impact fruit shape through calcium signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh P Clevenger
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Jason Van Houten
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Michelle Blackwood
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Gustavo Rubén Rodríguez
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Yusuke Jikumaru
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Yuji Kamiya
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Miyako Kusano
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Kazuki Saito
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Sofia Visa
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
| | - Esther van der Knaap
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (J.P.C., J.V.H., G.R.R., E.v.d.K.);Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691 (M.B., S.V.);RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan (Y.J., Y.K., M.K., K.S.); andDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan (K.S.)
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Goulet C, Kamiyoshihara Y, Lam NB, Richard T, Taylor MG, Tieman DM, Klee HJ. Divergence in the enzymatic activities of a tomato and Solanum pennellii alcohol acyltransferase impacts fruit volatile ester composition. MOLECULAR PLANT 2015; 8:153-62. [PMID: 25578279 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2014.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Tomato fruits accumulate a diverse set of volatiles including multiple esters. The content of ester volatiles is relatively low in tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum) and far more abundant in the closely related species Solanum pennellii. There are also qualitative variations in ester content between the two species. We have previously shown that high expression of a non-specific esterase is critical for the low overall ester content of S. lycopersicum fruit relative to S. pennellii fruit. Here, we show that qualitative differences in ester composition are the consequence of divergence in enzymatic activity of a ripening-related alcohol acyltransferase (AAT1). The S. pennellii AAT1 is more efficient than the tomato AAT1 for all the alcohols tested. The two enzymes have differences in their substrate preferences that explain the variations observed in the volatiles. The results illustrate how two related species have evolved to precisely adjust their volatile content by modulating the balance of the synthesis and degradation of esters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Goulet
- Département de Phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Yusuke Kamiyoshihara
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0690, USA
| | - Nghi B Lam
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0690, USA
| | - Théo Richard
- Département de Phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Mark G Taylor
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0690, USA
| | - Denise M Tieman
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0690, USA
| | - Harry J Klee
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0690, USA.
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55
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Recent Advances in the Application of Metabolomics to Studies of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOC) Produced by Plant. Metabolites 2014; 4:699-721. [PMID: 25257996 PMCID: PMC4192688 DOI: 10.3390/metabo4030699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2014] [Revised: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In many plants, biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are produced as specialized metabolites that contribute to the characteristics of each plant. The varieties and composition of BVOCs are chemically diverse by plant species and the circumstances in which the plants grow, and also influenced by herbivory damage and pathogen infection. Plant-produced BVOCs are receptive to many organisms, from microorganisms to human, as both airborne attractants and repellants. In addition, it is known that some BVOCs act as signals to prime a plant for the defense response in plant-to-plant communications. The compositional profiles of BVOCs can, thus, have profound influences in the physiological and ecological aspects of living organisms. Apart from that, some of them are commercially valuable as aroma/flavor compounds for human. Metabolomic technologies have recently revealed new insights in biological systems through metabolic dynamics. Here, the recent advances in metabolomics technologies focusing on plant-produced BVOC analyses are overviewed. Their application markedly improves our knowledge of the role of BVOCs in chemosystematics, ecological influences, and aroma research, as well as being useful to prove the biosynthetic mechanisms of BVOCs.
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56
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Kim J, Matsuba Y, Ning J, Schilmiller AL, Hammar D, Jones AD, Pichersky E, Last RL. Analysis of natural and induced variation in tomato glandular trichome flavonoids identifies a gene not present in the reference genome. THE PLANT CELL 2014; 26:3272-85. [PMID: 25128240 PMCID: PMC4176439 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.114.129460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Flavonoids are ubiquitous plant aromatic specialized metabolites found in a variety of cell types and organs. Methylated flavonoids are detected in secreting glandular trichomes of various Solanum species, including the cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Inspection of the sequenced S. lycopersicum Heinz 1706 reference genome revealed a close homolog of Solanum habrochaites MOMT1 3'/5' myricetin O-methyltransferase gene, but this gene (Solyc06g083450) is missing the first exon, raising the question of whether cultivated tomato has a distinct 3' or 3'/5' O-methyltransferase. A combination of mining genome and cDNA sequences from wild tomato species and S. lycopersicum cultivar M82 led to the identification of Sl-MOMT4 as a 3' O-methyltransferase. In parallel, three independent ethyl methanesulfonate mutants in the S. lycopersicum cultivar M82 background were identified as having reduced amounts of di- and trimethylated myricetins and increased monomethylated myricetin. Consistent with the hypothesis that Sl-MOMT4 is a 3' O-methyltransferase gene, all three myricetin methylation defective mutants were found to have defects in MOMT4 sequence, transcript accumulation, or 3'-O-methyltransferase enzyme activity. Surprisingly, no MOMT4 sequence is found in the Heinz 1706 reference genome sequence, and this cultivar accumulates 3-methyl myricetin and is deficient in 3'-methyl myricetins, demonstrating variation in this gene among cultivated tomato varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongwoon Kim
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Yuki Matsuba
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Jing Ning
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Anthony L Schilmiller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Dagan Hammar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - A Daniel Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Eran Pichersky
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Robert L Last
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
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57
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Rambla JL, Tikunov YM, Monforte AJ, Bovy AG, Granell A. The expanded tomato fruit volatile landscape. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2014; 65:4613-23. [PMID: 24692651 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eru128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The present review aims to synthesize our present knowledge about the mechanisms implied in the biosynthesis of volatile compounds in the ripe tomato fruit, which have a key role in tomato flavour. The difficulties in identifiying not only genes or genomic regions but also individual target compounds for plant breeding are addressed. Ample variability in the levels of almost any volatile compound exists, not only in the populations derived from interspecific crosses but also in heirloom varieties and even in commercial hybrids. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for all tomato aroma volatiles have been identified in collections derived from both intraspecific and interspecific crosses with different wild tomato species and they (i) fail to co-localize with structural genes in the volatile biosynthetic pathways and (ii) reveal very little coincidence in the genomic regions characterized, indicating that there is ample opportunity to reinforce the levels of the volatiles of interest. Some of the identified genes may be useful as markers or as biotechnological tools to enhance tomato aroma. Current knowledge about the major volatile biosynthetic pathways in the fruit is summarized. Finally, and based on recent reports, it is stressed that conjugation to other metabolites such as sugars seems to play a key role in the modulation of volatile release, at least in some metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Rambla
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, CSIC-Universidad Politécnica Valencia, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Yury M Tikunov
- Wageningen UR Plant Breeding, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio J Monforte
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, CSIC-Universidad Politécnica Valencia, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Arnaud G Bovy
- Wageningen UR Plant Breeding, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Granell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, CSIC-Universidad Politécnica Valencia, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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58
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Natural occurring epialleles determine vitamin E accumulation in tomato fruits. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3027. [PMID: 24967512 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin E (VTE) content is a low heritability nutritional trait for which the genetic determinants are poorly understood. Here, we focus on a previously detected major tomato VTE quantitative trait loci (QTL; mQTL(9-2-6)) and identify the causal gene as one encoding a 2-methyl-6-phytylquinol methyltransferase (namely VTE3(1)) that catalyses one of the final steps in the biosynthesis of γ- and α-tocopherols, which are the main forms of VTE. By reverse genetic approaches, expression analyses, siRNA profiling and DNA methylation assays, we demonstrate that mQTL(9-2-6) is an expression QTL associated with differential methylation of a SINE retrotransposon located in the promoter region of VTE3(1). Promoter DNA methylation can be spontaneously reverted leading to different epialleles affecting VTE3(1) expression and VTE content in fruits. These findings indicate therefore that naturally occurring epialleles are responsible for regulation of a nutritionally important metabolic QTL and provide direct evidence of a role for epigenetics in the determination of agronomic traits.
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59
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Souleyre EJF, Chagné D, Chen X, Tomes S, Turner RM, Wang MY, Maddumage R, Hunt MB, Winz RA, Wiedow C, Hamiaux C, Gardiner SE, Rowan DD, Atkinson RG. The AAT1 locus is critical for the biosynthesis of esters contributing to 'ripe apple' flavour in 'Royal Gala' and 'Granny Smith' apples. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 78:903-15. [PMID: 24661745 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The 'fruity' attributes of ripe apples (Malus × domestica) arise from our perception of a combination of volatile ester compounds. Phenotypic variability in ester production was investigated using a segregating population from a 'Royal Gala' (RG; high ester production) × 'Granny Smith' (GS; low ester production) cross, as well as in transgenic RG plants in which expression of the alcohol acyl transferase 1 (AAT1) gene was reduced. In the RG × GS population, 46 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the production of esters and alcohols were identified on 15 linkage groups (LGs). The major QTL for 35 individual compounds was positioned on LG2 and co-located with AAT1. Multiple AAT1 gene variants were identified in RG and GS, but only two (AAT1-RGa and AAT1-GSa) were functional. AAT1-RGa and AAT1-GSa were both highly expressed in the cortex and skin of ripe fruit, but AAT1 protein was observed mainly in the skin. Transgenic RG specifically reduced in AAT1 expression showed reduced levels of most key esters in ripe fruit. Differences in the ripe fruit aroma could be perceived by sensory analysis. The transgenic lines also showed altered ratios of biosynthetic precursor alcohols and aldehydes, and expression of a number of ester biosynthetic genes increased, presumably in response to the increased substrate pool. These results indicate that the AAT1 locus is critical for the biosynthesis of esters contributing to a 'ripe apple' flavour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwige J F Souleyre
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Private Bag 92169, Victoria Street West, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
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60
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Bolger ME, Weisshaar B, Scholz U, Stein N, Usadel B, Mayer KFX. Plant genome sequencing - applications for crop improvement. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2013; 26:31-7. [PMID: 24679255 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Revised: 08/24/2013] [Accepted: 08/26/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
It is over 10 years since the genome sequence of the first crop was published. Since then, the number of crop genomes sequenced each year has increased steadily. The amazing pace at which genome sequences are becoming available is largely due to the improvement in sequencing technologies both in terms of cost and speed. Modern sequencing technologies allow the sequencing of multiple cultivars of smaller crop genomes at a reasonable cost. Though many of the published genomes are considered incomplete, they nevertheless have proved a valuable tool to understand important crop traits such as fruit ripening, grain traits and flowering time adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie E Bolger
- RWTH Aachen University, IBMG Institute for Botany and Molecular Genetics, Aachen, Germany
| | - Bernd Weisshaar
- CeBiTec, Department of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Uwe Scholz
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland (OT) Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Nils Stein
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland (OT) Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Björn Usadel
- RWTH Aachen University, IBMG Institute for Botany and Molecular Genetics, Aachen, Germany; IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Institute for Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Klaus F X Mayer
- MIPS, Institute for Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
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61
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Aragüez I, Valpuesta V. Metabolic engineering of aroma components in fruits. Biotechnol J 2013; 8:1144-58. [PMID: 24019257 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201300113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Plants have the ability to produce a diversity of volatile metabolites, which attract pollinators and seed dispersers and strengthen plant defense responses. Selection by plant breeders of traits such as rapid growth and yield leads, in many cases, to the loss of flavor and aroma quality in crops. How the aroma can be improved without affecting other fruit attributes is a major unsolved issue. Significant advances in metabolic engineering directed at improving the set of volatiles that the fruits emit has been aided by the characterization of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of flavor and aroma compounds in some fruits. However, before this technology can be successfully applied to modulate the production of volatiles in different crops, further basic research is needed on the mechanisms that lead to the production of these compounds in plants. Here we review the biosynthesis and function of volatile compounds in plants, and the attempts that have been made to manipulate fruit aroma biosynthesis by metabolic engineering. In addition, we discuss the possibilities that molecular breeding offers for aroma enhancement and the implications of the latest advances in biotechnological modification of fruit flavor and aroma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Aragüez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea, Universidad de Málaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Málaga, Spain
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62
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Gapper NE, McQuinn RP, Giovannoni JJ. Molecular and genetic regulation of fruit ripening. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013. [PMID: 23585213 DOI: 10.1007/s1103-013-0050-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Fleshy fruit undergo a novel developmental program that ends in the irreversible process of ripening and eventual tissue senescence. During this maturation process, fruit undergo numerous physiological, biochemical and structural alterations, making them more attractive to seed dispersal organisms. In addition, advanced or over-ripening and senescence, especially through tissue softening and eventual decay, render fruit susceptible to invasion by opportunistic pathogens. While ripening and senescence are often used interchangeably, the specific metabolic activities of each would suggest that ripening is a distinct process of fleshy fruits that precedes and may predispose the fruit to subsequent senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel E Gapper
- Department of Horticulture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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63
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Gapper NE, McQuinn RP, Giovannoni JJ. Molecular and genetic regulation of fruit ripening. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 82:575-91. [PMID: 23585213 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-013-0050-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Fleshy fruit undergo a novel developmental program that ends in the irreversible process of ripening and eventual tissue senescence. During this maturation process, fruit undergo numerous physiological, biochemical and structural alterations, making them more attractive to seed dispersal organisms. In addition, advanced or over-ripening and senescence, especially through tissue softening and eventual decay, render fruit susceptible to invasion by opportunistic pathogens. While ripening and senescence are often used interchangeably, the specific metabolic activities of each would suggest that ripening is a distinct process of fleshy fruits that precedes and may predispose the fruit to subsequent senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel E Gapper
- Department of Horticulture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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64
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Genetic challenges of flavor improvement in tomato. Trends Genet 2013; 29:257-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2012] [Revised: 11/26/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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