A molecular and genetic framework for understanding the regulation of cell adhesion during fruit softening
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Biosciences
Abstract
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Technical Summary
Cell adhesion is the single most important factor determining food mechanical properties. The aim of this project is to use information we have obtained from tomato, together with insights from the model plant Arabidopsis to build a molecular and genetic framework for understanding the regulation of cell separation during fruit softening. We will test the role of key regulatory genes in cell separation using transgenic plants. Additionally we will use these gene sequences from tomato to test association of particular alleles with specific texture traits in collaboration with our industrial partner. This information will show development of a database enabling knowledge-based selection of parents to achieve a desired phenotype.
Publications
Cevik V
(2009)
A FRUITFULL-like gene is associated with genetic variation for fruit flesh firmness in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.)
in Tree Genetics & Genomes
Jaakola L
(2010)
A SQUAMOSA MADS box gene involved in the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation in bilberry fruits.
in Plant physiology
Manning K
(2006)
A naturally occurring epigenetic mutation in a gene encoding an SBP-box transcription factor inhibits tomato fruit ripening.
in Nature genetics
Seymour G
(2008)
Genetics and epigenetics of fruit development and ripening.
in Current opinion in plant biology
Seymour GB
(2011)
A SEPALLATA gene is involved in the development and ripening of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) fruit, a non-climacteric tissue.
in Journal of experimental botany
Vrebalov J
(2009)
Fleshy fruit expansion and ripening are regulated by the Tomato SHATTERPROOF gene TAGL1.
in The Plant cell
| Description | Fruits provide essential vitamins and minerals in the diet and protect heart disease and certain cancers. These important plant products can, however, be expensive to purchase, may be of disappointing quality and often have a short shelf-life. A major challenge is to enhance nutritional and health benefits while improving quality and reducing postharvest waste. Achieving these goals will demand a step change in the pace of crop improvement and this will depend on a sound mechanistic understanding of processes involved in fruit development and ripening. Studies on the model plant Arabidopsis have indicated that the development of their dry fruits involved a range of regulatory genes that included the MADS-box transcription factors FRUITFULL (FUL) and SHATTERPROOF (SHP). The aim of this project was to investigate whether orthologs of these master switches could be linked to ripening of fleshy fruits and specifically tomato. TDR4 and TAGL1 are expressed during tomato ripening and are likely to be orthologs of FUL and SHP. Transgenic experiments to silence tomato TDR4 failed to give an obvious visual phenotype, but this was likely to be due to genetic redundancy, the extent of which was only fully apparent with the sequencing of the tomato genome. However, initial experiments over expressing the tomato TDR4 gene in the dry fruits of Arabidopsis resulted in siliques that accumulated anthocyanins, red and purple pigments which are commonly found in fleshy berries. In collaboration with a colleague in Finland, we demonstrated that a TDR4-like gene was expressed in bilberry, which is an important source of anthocyanins. In 2010 we used virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) to alter bilberry TDR4 gene expression. Silencing bilberry TDR4 inhibited anthocyanin biosynthesis in the flesh of these fruits. We have therefore identified an important regulator of pigment accumulation in a fleshy fruit. Furthermore, pigments such as anthocyanins are known to have health benefits in humans including providing protection against cancer and heart disease. In addition to investigating the role of tomato and bilberry TDR4, we also studied the effect of silencing the tomato SHP ortholog, TAGL1, in collaboration with international partners in France and the US. This work which was completed after the end of the grant revealed that TAGL1 is involved in fruit expansion and ripening. In conclusion, the work demonstrated that dry and fleshy fruit share similarities in the regulatory modules involved in fruit development and indicates that tomato can be used as a model to identify genes likely to regulate aspects of ripening in distantly related fleshy fruit bearing species. Results from the project have been published in Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell and contributed to publications in Nature Genetics, Journal of Experimental Botany and Current Opinion in Plant Biology and Tree Genomes and Genetics. |
| Exploitation Route | We have identified an important regulator of pigment accumulation in a fleshy fruit. Pigments such as anthocyanins are known to have health benefits in humans including providing protection against cancer and heart disease. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | We made a series of important discoveries that indicated the generic nature of the transcription factors controlling fruit ripening across fleshy fruit species. The information has been published in high impact journals and is now established in the scientific literature (see recent Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2013, article by Seymour et al on Fruit development and ripening). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2006 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | TomQML ERAPG grant BB/G02491X |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute Golm |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | UNOTT provided tomato genetic material for the project |
| Collaborator Contribution | MP colleagues were collaborators on this ERANET grant and provided a wild tomato species genome sequence that has helped identify genes under important QTL |
| Impact | ERACAPS2 grant application under consideration and joint publications in progress |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | Goldman Sachs Foundation Summer School presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Cutting edge research seminar to school pupils Increased interest in science resulting in applications for studying relevant degree courses |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007 |
| Description | Public Lecture, University of Nottingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Public lecture, entitled "Genetic secrets of the tomato", knowledge transfer |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | Tomato Growers Conference, Coventry, UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on the Tomato Genome Project to the British Tomato Growers Conference to demonstrate prospects for crop improvement using genomics information Demonstrated to growers value of rational approaches to breeding that will allow a step change in crop improvement. Also developed contacts that have been useful to extend industry interactions including funding for a recent TSB project on enhancing tomato shelf life. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |