Accumulation and extractability of grape skin tannins and anthocyanins at different advanced physiological stages

The Arabidopsis tt19-4 mutant differentially accumulates proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin through a 3' amino acid substitution in glutathione S-transferase

The Arabidopsis transparent testa (tt) mutant tt19-4 shows reduced seed coat colour, but stains darkly with DMACA and accumulates anthocyanins in aerial tissues. Positional cloning showed that tt19-4 was allelic to tt19-1 and has a G-to-T mutation in a conserved 3'-domain in the TT19-4 gene. Soluble and unextractable seed proanthocyanidins and hydrolysis of unextractable proanthocyanidin differ between wild-type Col-4 and both mutants. However, seed quercetins, unextractable proanthocyanidin hydrolysis, and seedling anthocyanin content, and flavonoid gene expression differ between tt19-1 and tt19-4. Transformation of tt19-1 with a TT19-4 cDNA results in vegetative anthocyanins, whereas TT19-4 cDNA cannot complement the proanthocyanidin and pale seed coat phenotype of tt19-1. Both recombinant TT19 and TT19-4 enzymes are functional GSTs and are localized in the cytosol, but TT19 did not function with wide range of flavonoids and natural products to produce conjugation products. We suggest that the dark seed coat of Arabidopsis is related to soluble proanthocyanidin content and that quercetin holds the key to the function of TT19. In addition, TT19 appears to have a 5' GSH-binding domain influencing both anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin accumulation and a 3' domain affecting proanthocyanidin accumulation by a single amino acid substitution.

Influence of skin hardness on dehydration kinetics of wine grapes

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of the influence of initial mechanical properties on the evolution of the weight loss of berries through the drying process is scarce. Therefore, the main purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of skin hardness at two different physiological stages of off-vine drying kinetics of grapes. Skin hardness was evaluated as the berry skin-break force parameter, measured by the texture analysis test.

RESULTS

The decrease of berry weight as a function of the drying time was linear, indicating that the drying rates were constant within each cultivar studied (Moscato bianco and Erbaluce), and for each ripening stage and berry skin hardness. The drying rates decreased as berry skin hardness increased for the ripest grapes in the cultivars studied.

CONCLUSION

The study allowed the assessment of the correlation between the skin hardness of fresh berries and the weight loss determined for different drying days.

Non-destructive optical monitoring of grape maturation by proximal sensing

A new, commercial, fluorescence-based optical sensor for plant constituent assessment was recently introduced. This sensor, called the Multiplex(®) (FORCE-A, Orsay, France), was used to monitor grape maturation by specifically monitoring anthocyanin accumulation. We derived the empirical anthocyanin content calibration curves for Champagne red grape cultivars, and we also propose a general model for the influence of the proportion of red berries, skin anthocyanin content and berry size on Multiplex(®) indices. The Multiplex(®) was used on both berry samples in the laboratory and on intact clusters in the vineyard. We found that the inverted and log-transformed far-red fluorescence signal called the FERARI index, although sensitive to sample size and distance, is potentially the most widely applicable. The more robust indices, based on chlorophyll fluorescence excitation ratios, showed three ranges of dependence on anthocyanin content. We found that up to 0.16 mg cm(-2), equivalent to approximately 0.6 mg g(-1), all indices increase with accumulation of skin anthocyanin content. Excitation ratio-based indices decrease with anthocyanin accumulation beyond 0.27 mg cm(-2). We showed that the Multiplex(®) can be advantageously used in vineyards on intact clusters for the non-destructive assessment of anthocyanin content of vine blocks and can now be tested on other fruits and vegetables based on the same model.

Interaction between grape-derived proanthocyanidins and cell wall material. 2. Implications for vinification

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) were isolated from the skins, seeds and flesh of commercially ripe grapes, and from wine and marc produced from the same source. In the grape berry, skin PAs accounted for 54% of the total extractable PA, while seed and flesh-derived PA accounted for 30% and 15% of the total, respectively. Following fermentation, 25% of the fruit PA was found in the wine, while 27% was found in the pericarp isolated from marc, and 48% was unaccounted for (either remaining in the seed or adsorbed to lees). To investigate the role that cell wall material (CWM) has on PA extraction during fermentation, CWM isolated from skin and flesh were combined with PA in model suspensions. In general, the affinity of flesh CWM for PA increased with increasing PA molecular mass (MM); however, this relationship was not observed for the interaction of skin CWM with skin PA. Subsequent experiments suggest that the differences in the interaction of flesh and skin CWM with PA of higher MM (>15000 g/mol) may be limited by the structure of the CWM. Observed variations in the composition between skin and flesh CWM may explain the differences in PA interaction at high MM. Among wine-derived PA, no higher MM material was detected, suggesting that, during vinification, higher MM PA are nonextractable and/or are removed from the wine by interaction with CWM.

Metabolic constituents of grapevine and grape-derived products

The numerous uses of the grapevine fruit, especially for wine and beverages, have made it one of the most important plants worldwide. The phytochemistry of grapevine is rich in a wide range of compounds. Many of them are renowned for their numerous medicinal uses. The production of grapevine metabolites is highly conditioned by many factors like environment or pathogen attack. Some grapevine phytoalexins have gained a great deal of attention due to their antimicrobial activities, being also involved in the induction of resistance in grapevine against those pathogens. Meanwhile grapevine biotechnology is still evolving, thanks to the technological advance of modern science, and biotechnologists are making huge efforts to produce grapevine cultivars of desired characteristics. In this paper, important metabolites from grapevine and grape derived products like wine will be reviewed with their health promoting effects and their role against certain stress factors in grapevine physiology.

Interaction between grape-derived proanthocyanidins and cell wall material. 1. Effect on proanthocyanidin composition and molecular mass

Insoluble cell wall material was prepared from the skin and flesh of commercially ripe Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz berries and then combined in suspension with preveraison skin and seed proanthocyanidin containing solutions. Analysis of proanthocyanidins before and after fining with cell wall material by phloroglucinolysis provided information on recovery by mass, subunit composition, and mean degree of polymerization, whereas proanthocyanidin molecular mass distribution was determined by gel permeation chromatography. Cell wall material from flesh showed the highest affinity for proanthocyanidin, binding up to 47% and 57% w/w of total seed and skin proanthocyanidin respectively. Comparison of the molecular mass distribution of skin or seed proanthocyanidin before and after fining indicated that affinity of cell walls for proanthocyanidin increased with increasing proanthocyanidin molecular mass. Initial results of subunit composition of skin and seed proanthocyanidin mixtures following fining with cell wall material showed that the % galloylation decreased, suggesting a preference for seed-derived proanthocyanidins. Subsequent experiments suggest that fining with insoluble cell wall material is size-based and does not have a specific affinity for seed-derived proanthocyanidins.

Grape skin and seed proanthocyanidins from Monastrell x Syrah grapes

In this study, the grape skin and seed proanthocyanidin profiles from Monastrell x Syrah grape (Vitis vinifera L.) crosses were determined. Concentration and compositional information in extracts was determined by reversed-phase HPLC after acid-catalyzed cleavage in the presence of excess phloroglucinol. In general, the proanthocyanidin compositions of crosses were qualitatively similar to those of Monastrell and Syrah, but, quantitatively, differences were observed. Consistent with transgressive segregation, the proanthocyanidin concentration in some crosses exceeded that in either parent. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to provide information on the inheritance of proanthocyanidin features from V. vinifera cultivars. The overall objective of this study is to develop new varieties that are well-adapted to our agro-ecological conditions, as Monastrell is, and with a proanthocyanidin profile that will result in high-quality wines.

Mechanical properties, phenolic composition and extractability indices of Barbera grapes of different soluble solids contents from several growing areas

Phenolic compounds, extractable from grape skins and seeds, have a notable influence on the quality of red wines. Many studies have clearly demonstrated the relationship between the phenolic composition of the grape at harvest time and its influence on the phenolic composition of the red wine produced. In many previous works the evolution of phenolic composition and relative extractability was normally studied on grapes sampled at different times during ripening, but at the same date the physiological characteristics of grape berries in a vineyard are often very heterogeneous. Therefore, the main goal of the study is to investigate the differences among mechanical properties, phenolic composition and relative extractability of Vitis vinifera L. cv Barbera grape berries, harvested at the same date from several vineyards, and calibrated according to their density at three levels of soluble solids (A=235+/-8, B=252+/-8 and C=269+/-8 g L(-1) sugar) with the aim of studying the influence of ripeness stages and growing locations on these parameters. Results on mechanical properties showed that the thickness of the berry skin (Sp(sk)) was the parameter most affected by the different level of sugars in the pulp, while different skin hardnesses, evaluated by the break skin force (F(sk)), were related to the cultivation sites. The latter were also observed to influence the mechanical characteristics of seeds. Generally, the anthocyanin content increased with the level of soluble solids, while the increase in the tannin content of the berry skin and seeds was less marked. However, significant changes in flavanols reactive to vanillin in the seeds were found. The cellular maturity index (EA%) was little influenced by the soluble solids content of grapes.

Quantitative genetic bases of anthocyanin variation in grape (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sativa) berry: a quantitative trait locus to quantitative trait nucleotide integrated study

The combination of QTL mapping studies of synthetic lines and association mapping studies of natural diversity represents an opportunity to throw light on the genetically based variation of quantitative traits. With the positional information provided through quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, which often leads to wide intervals encompassing numerous genes, it is now feasible to directly target candidate genes that are likely to be responsible for the observed variation in completely sequenced genomes and to test their effects through association genetics. This approach was performed in grape, a newly sequenced genome, to decipher the genetic architecture of anthocyanin content. Grapes may be either white or colored, ranging from the lightest pink to the darkest purple tones according to the amount of anthocyanin accumulated in the berry skin, which is a crucial trait for both wine quality and human nutrition. Although the determinism of the white phenotype has been fully identified, the genetic bases of the quantitative variation of anthocyanin content in berry skin remain unclear. A single QTL responsible for up to 62% of the variation in the anthocyanin content was mapped on a Syrah x Grenache F(1) pseudo-testcross. Among the 68 unigenes identified in the grape genome within the QTL interval, a cluster of four Myb-type genes was selected on the basis of physiological evidence (VvMybA1, VvMybA2, VvMybA3, and VvMybA4). From a core collection of natural resources (141 individuals), 32 polymorphisms revealed significant association, and extended linkage disequilibrium was observed. Using a multivariate regression method, we demonstrated that five polymorphisms in VvMybA genes except VvMybA4 (one retrotransposon, three single nucleotide polymorphisms and one 2-bp insertion/deletion) accounted for 84% of the observed variation. All these polymorphisms led to either structural changes in the MYB proteins or differences in the VvMybAs promoters. We concluded that the continuous variation in anthocyanin content in grape was explained mainly by a single gene cluster of three VvMybA genes. The use of natural diversity helped to reduce one QTL to a set of five quantitative trait nucleotides and gave a clear picture of how isogenes combined their effects to shape grape color. Such analysis also illustrates how isogenes combine their effect to shape a complex quantitative trait and enables the definition of markers directly targeted for upcoming breeding programs.

A novel cation-dependent O-methyltransferase involved in anthocyanin methylation in grapevine

Anthocyanins are major pigments in colored grape (Vitis vinifera) berries, and most of them are monomethoxylated or dimethoxylated. We report here the functional characterization of an anthocyanin O-methyltransferase (AOMT) from grapevine. The expression pattern in two cultivars with different anthocyanin methylation profiles (Syrah and Nebbiolo) showed a peak at start ripening (véraison), when the concentrations of all methylated anthocyanins begin to increase. The purified recombinant AOMT protein was active on both anthocyanins and flavonols in vitro, with K(m) in the micromolar range, and was dependent on divalent cations for activity. AOMT showed a preference for 3',5' methylation when a 3',4',5' hydroxylated anthocyanin substrate was tested. In order to assess its in planta activity, we performed transient expression of AOMT in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaves expressing the Production of Anthocyanin Pigment1 (PAP1) transcription factor from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). PAP1 expression in leaves induced the accumulation of the nonmethylated anthocyanin delphinidin 3-rutinoside. The coexpression of PAP1 and AOMT resulted in an accumulation of malvidin 3-rutinoside. We also showed that AOMT localized exclusively in the cytoplasm of tobacco leaf cells. These results demonstrate the ability of this enzyme to methylate anthocyanins both in vitro and in vivo, indicating that AOMT plays a major role in anthocyanin biosynthesis in grape berries.

Grapevine MATE-type proteins act as vacuolar H+-dependent acylated anthocyanin transporters

In grapevine (Vitis vinifera), anthocyanins are responsible for most of the red, blue, and purple pigmentation found in the skin of berries. In cells, anthocyanins are synthesized in the cytoplasm and accumulated into the vacuole. However, little is known about the transport of these compounds through the tonoplast. Recently, the sequencing of the grapevine genome allowed us to identify genes encoding proteins with high sequence similarity to the Multidrug And Toxic Extrusion (MATE) family. Among them, we selected two genes as anthocyanin transporter candidates and named them anthoMATE1 (AM1) and AM3. The expression of both genes was mainly fruit specific and concomitant with the accumulation of anthocyanin pigment. Subcellular localization assays in grapevine hairy roots stably transformed with AM1 or AM3green fluorescent protein fusion protein revealed that AM1 and AM3 are primarily localized to the tonoplast. Yeast vesicles expressing anthoMATEs transported acylated anthocyanins in the presence of MgATP. Inhibitor studies demonstrated that AM1 and AM3 proteins act in vitro as vacuolar H(+)-dependent acylated anthocyanin transporters. By contrast, under our experimental conditions, anthoMATEs could not transport malvidin 3-O-glucoside or cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, suggesting that the acyl conjugation was essential for the uptake. Taken together, these results provide evidence that in vitro the two grapevine AM1 and AM3 proteins mediate specifically acylated anthocyanin transport.

Berry integrity and extraction of skin and seed proanthocyanidins during red wine fermentation

In this study, microscale fermentations were conducted on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot. Five treatments were established varying from 0-100% crushed fruit (25% increments x 5 replicates). Caps were kept submerged throughout the experiment, and fermentation temperatures were maintained at 25 degrees C. Samples were collected throughout fermentation and from the free run and press wine at the time of pressing. Proanthocyanidins were determined by acid-catalyzed depolymerization in the presence of phloroglucinol, followed by reversed phase, high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Total proanthocyanidin extraction increased with time in all treatments. In addition, crushing increased the rate at which proanthocyanidins were extracted. When the extraction of skin and seed proanthocyanidins were monitored separately, skin proanthocyanidin extraction rate exceeded that for seed proanthocyanidins and followed a Boltzmann sigmoid extraction model. The highest proanthocyanidin concentration for skin (435 mg/L) and seed (344 mg/L) was observed for the 75% crushed fruit treatment at the time of pressing (17 days). The highest skin proanthocyanidin proportion (79%) was observed for the 75% crushed fruit treatment on day 9 with a total proanthocyanidin concentration of 439 mg/L. For all treatments, skin proanthocyanidin extraction reached a plateau concentration prior to pressing, with the plateau concentration increasing with crushing. Seed proanthocyanidin concentration increased throughout maceration.

Changes in anthocyanins in the grains of purple waxy hull-less barley during seed maturation and after harvest

Purple waxy hull-less barley cv. Daishimochi accumulates purple pigments in the stem, awn, lemma, palea, and pericarp during seed maturation. Four major anthocyanin constituents from the grains of cv. Daishimochi were isolated and identified as cyanidin 3-O-(3,6-di-O-malonyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (55%), cyanidin 3-O-(6-O-malonyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (21%), cyanidin 3-O-(3-O-malonyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (12%), and cyanidin 3-O-beta- d-glucopyranoside (4%) by mass spectrometry and one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. These anthocyanins were observed after 28 days after flowering (DAF); they were most abundant at 35 DAF when the dry weight of grains was maximum. This accumulation time was later than that of proanthocyanidins, which are the most abundant polyphenol constituents in barley grains. These anthocyanins, especially cyanidin 3-O-(3,6-di-O-malonyl-beta- d-glucopyranoside), decreased at 42 DAF and during drying preparation after harvest. Most anthocyanins are localized in the outer parts of grains and distributed into bran by the pearling process. Whole grain flour and bran of cv. Daishimochi are good sources of malonylated cyanidin derivatives.

Validation of an extraction method on whole pericarp of grape berry (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz) to study biochemical and molecular aspects of flavan-3-ol synthesis during berry development

An extraction method on grape berry was optimized for the total flavan-3-ol content measurement with regard to the nature of the sample and the duration of its extraction. This extraction was performed for the first time on the whole pericarp. Flavan-3-ol extractions were achieved on Shiraz ripe samples of pericarp versus skin within different durations: the best results were obtained for the whole pericarp and 1 h duration. Therefore, this more convenient protocol was used to investigate the flavan-3-ol content at different stages through berry development, in parallel with the abundance of transcripts involved in their biosynthesis. Furthermore, flavan-3-ol extractions on pericarp analysis confirmed their presence in both pulp and skin. For the first time, the flavan-3-ol biosynthesis in pulp was demonstrated with both biochemical and transcriptomic analyses since the presence of leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR2) and anthocyanin reductase (ANR) transcripts was revealed by real-time PCR. In addition, the percentage of epigallocatechin was different in pulp and skin.

Optimization of simultaneous flavanol, phenolic acid, and anthocyanin extraction from grapes using an experimental design: application to the characterization of champagne grape varieties

Optimization of polyphenol extraction from grape skin, seed, and pulp was performed on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot Noir, by response surface methodology using a Doehlert design. An acidified mixture of acetone/water/methanol was the best solvent for simultaneous extraction of major polyphenol groups from all berry parts, while optimum extraction times and solid-to-liquid ratios varied according to the part. The determined composition from the model agreed with independent experimental results. Analysis of the three Champagne grape varieties showed that proanthocyanidins were the major phenolic compounds in each part (60-93%). The total berry proanthocyanidin content was highest in Pinot Meunier (11 g kg(-1)) and lowest in Chardonnay (5 g kg(-1)), but Pinot Meunier pulp contained lower amounts of proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids (210 and 127 mg kg(-1) berry, respectively) than that of the other two varieties. The berry anthocyanin content was equivalent in both Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (632 and 602 mg kg(-1), respectively).