Ethylene-producing bacteria that ripen fruit.
Ethylene is a plant hormone widely used to ripen fruit. However, the synthesis, handling, and storage of ethylene are environmentally harmful and dangerous. We engineered E. coli to produce ethylene through the activity of the ethylene-forming enzyme (EFE) from Pseudomonas syringae. EFE converts a citric acid cycle intermediate, 2-oxoglutarate, to ethylene in a single step. The production of ethylene was placed under the control of arabinose and blue light responsive regulatory systems. The resulting bacteria were capable of accelerating the ripening of tomatoes, kiwifruit, and apples.
Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento , Via delle Regole 101, 38123 Trento, Italy.
Fabio
F
Digiacomo
Gabriele
G
Girelli
Bruno
B
Aor
Caterina
C
Marchioretti
Michele
M
Pedrotti
Thomas
T
Perli
Emil
E
Tonon
Viola
V
Valentini
Damiano
D
Avi
Giovanna
G
Ferrentino
Andrea
A
Dorigato
Paola
P
Torre
Olivier
O
Jousson
Sheref S
SS
Mansy
Cristina
C
Del Bianco
D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005638:Fruit / Q000187:drug effects*; D008190:Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*
D005030:Ethylenes; C036216:ethylene; D008190:Lyases; C034693:ethylene forming enzyme
YF1; bioengineering; blue photoreceptor; ethylene; fruit ripening; iGEM