title: Improved herbivore resistance in cultivated tomato with the sesquiterpene biosynthetic pathway from a wild relative.
abstract: Tomato breeding has been tremendously efficient in increasing fruit quality and quantity but did not focus on improving herbivore resistance. The biosynthetic pathway for the production of 7-epizingiberene in a wild tomato was introduced into a cultivated greenhouse variety with the aim to obtain herbivore resistance. 7-Epizingiberene is a specific sesquiterpene with toxic and repellent properties that is produced and stored in glandular trichomes. We identified 7-epizingiberene synthase (ShZIS) that belongs to a new class of sesquiterpene synthases, exclusively using Z-Z-farnesyl-diphosphate (zFPP) in plastids, probably arisen through neo-functionalization of a common ancestor. Expression of the ShZIS and zFPP synthases in the glandular trichomes of cultivated tomato resulted in the production of 7-epizingiberene. These tomatoes gained resistance to several herbivores that are pests of tomato. Hence, introduction of this sesquiterpene biosynthetic pathway into cultivated tomatoes resulted in improved herbivore resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences,  University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam,  The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Petra M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bleeker
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mirabella
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Diergaarde
authors.forename: Arjen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: VanDoorn
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tissier
authors.forename: Merijn R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kant
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.forename: Michel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Haring
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Schuurink
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics*; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000502:physiology; D060434:Herbivory / Q000276:immunology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D000081222:Monocyclic Sesquiterpenes; D011106:Polyisoprenyl Phosphates; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D040102:Tetranychidae / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000081222:Monocyclic Sesquiterpenes; D011106:Polyisoprenyl Phosphates; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C004808:farnesyl pyrophosphate; C477983:zingiberene; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases