title: Enhanced levels of the aroma and flavor compound S-linalool by metabolic engineering of the terpenoid pathway in tomato fruits.
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.
authors.affiliation: Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel. twefraim@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lewinsohn
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schalechet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tadmor
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Amar
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lastochkin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Larkov
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ravid
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hiatt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gepstein
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pichersky
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D005524:Food Technology; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014975:Lutein / Q000378:metabolism; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010641:Phenotype; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C018584:linalool; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; C092055:S-linalool synthase; D024505:Tocopherols; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein