Differential regulation of grain sucrose accumulation and metabolism in Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta) revealed through gene expression and enzyme activity analysis.
* Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta) are the two main cultivated species used for coffee bean production. Arabica genotypes generally produce a higher coffee quality than Robusta genotypes. Understanding the genetic basis for sucrose accumulation during coffee grain maturation is an important goal because sucrose is an important coffee flavor precursor. * Nine new Coffea genes encoding sucrose metabolism enzymes have been identified: sucrose phosphate synthase (CcSPS1, CcSPS2), sucrose phosphate phosphatase (CcSP1), cytoplasmic (CaInv3) and cell wall (CcInv4) invertases and four invertase inhibitors (CcInvI1, 2, 3, 4). * Activities and mRNA abundance of the sucrose metabolism enzymes were compared at different developmental stages in Arabica and Robusta grains, characterized by different sucrose contents in mature grain. * It is concluded that Robusta accumulates less sucrose than Arabica for two reasons: Robusta has higher sucrose synthase and acid invertase activities early in grain development - the expression of CcSS1 and CcInv2 appears to be crucial at this stage and Robusta has a lower SPS activity and low CcSPS1 expression at the final stages of grain development and hence has less capacity for sucrose re-synthesis. Regulation of vacuolar invertase CcInv2 activity by invertase inhibitors CcInvI2 and/or CcInvI3 during Arabica grain development is considered.
Privat
Isabelle
I
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
Foucrier
Séverine
S
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
Prins
Anneke
A
School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
Epalle
Thibaut
T
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
Eychenne
Magali
M
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
Kandalaft
Laurianne
L
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
Caillet
Victoria
V
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
Lin
Chenwei
C
Department of Plant Breeding, 248 Emerson, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Tanksley
Steve
S
Department of Plant Breeding, 248 Emerson, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Foyer
Christine
C
School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
Mccarthy
James
J
Centre de Recherche Nestlé, 101 Av. Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame d'Oé, BP 49716-37097 Tours, France.
D040503:Coffea / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005632:Fructose / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism*; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000201:enzymology; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005632:Fructose; D013395:Sucrose; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase; D005947:Glucose