Abstract

Resveratrol, a plant phenolic compound, is accumulated in grape and red wine, but it is not widely distributed in other food crops. Our previous works showed that resveratrol biosynthesis can be induced in tomato plant (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) via the heterologous expression of a grape (Vitis vinifera L.) stilbene synthase cDNA under the control of a constitutive (CaMV 35S) or a fruit specific (TomLoxB) promoter. Resveratrol synthesising fruits showed an increase in the levels of ascorbate and glutathione, the soluble antioxidants of primary metabolism and the total antioxidant activity. These results paralleled with a higher capability of transgenic fruit to counteract the pro-inflammatory effects of phorbol ester in mocyte-macrophages, via the inhibition of induced cyclooxygenase-2, and indicated the potential of our approach to improve the nutritional value of tomato. Since the levels of resveratrol detected in transgenic fruit were limited to a maximum of 50 ug/g fresh weight, we started a breeding programme to increase the content of this metabolite.We took advantage of the ability of an Arabidopsis myb-type transcription factor (AtMYB12) to strongly activate the expression of several phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes that act upstream of stilbene synthase, suggesting that AtMYB12 can provide high rates of metabolic flux for resveratrol biosynthesis. To further increase the level of resveratrol, we have introduced in the breeding programme a spontaneous flavanone 3-hydroxylase tomato mutant. The presence of this mutation reduces the amount flavonols and should therefore enhance substrate availability to stilbene synthase. Preliminary data show that a combination of biosynthetic and regulatory genes together with the availability of natural tomato varieties is a powerful strategy for plant metabolic engineering.

Autore Pugliese

• Santino Angelo , Giovinazzo Giovanna

Tutti gli autori

• Santino A. Butelli E.; Ingrosso I.; Laddomada B.; Martin C.; Giovinazzo G.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2010

ISSN

Non Disponibile

ISBN

978-88-904570-0-5

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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