title: Differential metabolite profiles during fruit development in high-yielding oil palm mesocarp.
abstract: To better understand lipid biosynthesis in oil palm mesocarp, in particular the differences in gene regulation leading to and including de novo fatty acid biosynthesis, a multi-platform metabolomics technology was used to profile mesocarp metabolites during six critical stages of fruit development in comparatively high- and low-yielding oil palm populations. Significantly higher amino acid levels preceding lipid biosynthesis and nucleosides during lipid biosynthesis were observed in a higher yielding commercial palm population. Levels of metabolites involved in glycolysis revealed interesting divergence of flux towards glycerol-3-phosphate, while carbon utilization differences in the TCA cycle were proven by an increase in malic acid/citric acid ratio. Apart from insights into the regulation of enhanced lipid production in oil palm, these results provide potentially useful metabolite yield markers and genes of interest for use in breeding programmes.
authors.affiliation: Sime Darby Technology Centre, Lebuh Silikon, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. teh.huey.fang@simedarby.com
authors.forename: Huey Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Teh
authors.forename: Bee Keat
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Neoh
authors.forename: May Ping Li
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jaime Yoke Sum
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Theresa Lee Mei
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Nalisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ithnin
authors.forename: Yin Mee
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Thang
authors.forename: Mohaimi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Fook Tim
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Hirzun Mohd
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Yusof
authors.forename: Harikrishna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kulaveerasingam
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Appleton
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D028023:Arecaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008293:Malates / Q000378:metabolism; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D015415:Biomarkers; D008055:Lipids; D008293:Malates; D019343:Citric Acid; C030298:malic acid