Abstract
The aromas of fruits, vegetables, and flowers are mixtures of volatile metabolites, often present in parts per billion levels or less. We show here that tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants transgenic for a heterologous Clarkia breweri S-linalool synthase (LIS) gene, under the control of the tomato late-ripening-specific E8 promoter, synthesize and accumulate S-linalool and 8-hydroxylinalool in ripening fruits. Apart from the difference in volatiles, no other phenotypic alterations were noted, including the levels of other terpenoids such as gamma- and alpha-tocopherols, lycopene, beta-carotene, and lutein. Our studies indicate that it is possible to enhance the levels of monoterpenes in ripening fruits by metabolic engineering.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Acyclic Monoterpenes
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Carotenoids / metabolism
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Food Technology
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Fruit / chemistry
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Fruit / genetics
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Fruit / metabolism
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Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
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Genetic Engineering
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Hydro-Lyases / genetics*
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Hydro-Lyases / metabolism
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Lutein / metabolism
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Lycopene
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Monoterpenes*
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Oils, Volatile
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Phenotype
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Plants, Genetically Modified
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Solanum lycopersicum / chemistry
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Solanum lycopersicum / genetics
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Solanum lycopersicum / metabolism*
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Terpenes / chemistry
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Terpenes / metabolism*
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Tocopherols / metabolism
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beta Carotene / metabolism
Substances
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Acyclic Monoterpenes
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Monoterpenes
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Oils, Volatile
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Terpenes
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beta Carotene
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Carotenoids
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linalool
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Hydro-Lyases
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S-linalool synthase
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Tocopherols
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Lycopene
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Lutein