Award details

303d: Developmental regulation of ripening in fleshy fruits

Reference	BBS/E/H/00032119
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Graham Seymour
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Warwick
Department	Warwick HRI
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	749,400
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2000
End date	31/03/2003
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Fleshy fruits are consumed both in a fresh and processed condition. They are economically highly valuable and provide a substantial part of the daily intake of vitamins and minerals. The quality of the final product is dependent on the complex series of changes which occur during fruit development and ripening. Identifying the key genes involved in the regulation of these processes will be critical to our ability to make significant progress in improving the quality of fleshy fruits. The tomato is the model system of choice to study the basic biology of fleshy fruits. The physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics of ripening in this fruit are relatively well characterised and there is an excellent molecular map, with more than 2000 markers. Recently, genomics resources including large insert (Bacterial Artificial Chromosome) libraries and DNA micro-arrays have become available. Fruit ripening is a tightly controlled and highly programmed developmental event involving the coordination of a multitude of metabolic changes. In tomato a variety of single gene mutations exist, including a very small number which have pleiotropic effects resulting in the reduction or almost complete abolition of ripening. These pleiotropic ripening mutants such as rin, and nor, provide key tools for investigating the developmental regulation of ripening. At HRI we have obtained and partially characterised a novel dominant pleiotropic tomato ripening mutant, Cnr (Colourless non-ripening). This single gene mutation results in a non-ripening phenotype with two distinct characteristics: (1) firm fruit with reduced cell-to-cell adhesion and (2) complete abolition of carotenoid biosynthesis in the pericarp (see Thompson et al. Plant Physiology 120: 383-389, 1999). We have mapped the Cnr gene to the middle of the long arm of chromosome 2. The focus of this project is the molecular and biochemical charcterisation of the Cnr mutant and isolation of the Cnr gene by a genetic map-based approach. We hypothesise that Cnr is a key gene involved in the developmental regulation of ripening in all fleshy fruits and could be of central importance in understanding the molecular basis of cell separation, not only in fruits, but also in other horticultural products. Related projects include genetic characterisation and genomic organisation of factors affecting fruit texture. The work is directly relevant to the technology foresight priority areas of plant biotechnology; diet and health; genetics and molecular biology of raw materials. An important aim is to improve the nutritional value and freshness of foods using biochemical and molecular tools. The programme relates to the BBSRC Agri-Food Directorate priority area of raw material quality, involving studies on both cell walls and postharvest change. The work is also compatible with research Committee themes. The expected outputs are improved horticultural crops/products achieved through a deeper understanding of the biology of postharvest change. Especially the identification of generic factors regulating ripening in all fleshy fruits. Specific aims include manipulating crops to improve shelf-life, processing quality and nutritional value, and to generate functional foods. Other benefits may include a better understanding of differences between the way in which ripening is regulated in climacteric and non-climacteric fruit and of the role of the cell wall in regulating post harvest quality and ripening.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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