Abstract

A novel strategy to induce parthenocarpy in tomato fruits by the induction of resveratrol biosynthesis inflower tissues was exploited. Two transgenic tomato lines were considered: a higher resveratrolproducing(35SS) line, constitutively expressing a grape stilbene synthase cDNA, and a lower resveratrolproducing(LoxS) line, expressing stilbene synthase under a fruit-specific promoter. The expression of thestilbene synthase gene affected flavonoid metabolism in a different manner in the transgenic lines, and inone of these, the 35SS line, resulted in complete male sterility. Resveratrol was synthesised either in 35SSor LoxS tomato flowers, at an even higher extent (about 8e10 times) in the former line. We furtherinvestigated whether stilbene synthase expression may have resulted in impaired naringenin accumulationduring flower development. In the 35SS flowers, naringenin was significantly impaired by about50%, probably due to metabolic competition. Conversely, the amount of glycosylated flavonols increasedin transgenic flowers, thereby excluding the diminished production of flavonols as a reason forparthenocarpy in tomato. We further investigated whether resveratrol synthesis may have resultedchanges to pollen structure. Microscopic observations revealed the presence of few and abnormal flakelikepollen grains in 35SS flowers with no germination capability. Finally, the analysis of coumaric andferulic acids, the precursors of lignin and sporopollenin biosynthesis, revealed significant depletion ofthese compounds, therefore suggesting an impairment in structural compounds as a reason for pollenablation. These overall outcomes, to the best of our knowledge, reveal for the first time the major roledisplayed by resveratrol synthesis on parthenocarpy in tomato fruits.

Autore Pugliese

• Santino Angelo , Laddomada Barbara , Blando Federica , Giovinazzo Giovanna

Tutti gli autori

• Ingrosso I.; Bonsegna S.; De Domenico S.; Laddomada B.; Blando F.; Santino A.; Giovinazzo G.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Plant physiology and biochemistry

Anno di pubblicazione

2011

ISSN

0981-9428

ISBN

Non Disponibile

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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