Multi-level engineering facilitates the production of phenylpropanoid compounds in tomato.
Phenylpropanoids comprise an important class of plant secondary metabolites. A number of transcription factors have been used to upregulate-specific branches of phenylpropanoid metabolism, but by far the most effective has been the fruit-specific expression of AtMYB12 in tomato, which resulted in as much as 10% of fruit dry weight accumulating as flavonols and hydroxycinnamates. We show that AtMYB12 not only increases the demand of flavonoid biosynthesis but also increases the supply of carbon from primary metabolism, energy and reducing power, which may fuel the shikimate and phenylalanine biosynthetic pathways to supply more aromatic amino acids for secondary metabolism. AtMYB12 directly binds promoters of genes encoding enzymes of primary metabolism. The enhanced supply of precursors, energy and reducing power achieved by AtMYB12 expression can be harnessed to engineer high levels of novel phenylpropanoids in tomato fruit, offering an effective production system for bioactives and other high value ingredients.
Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
Yang
Y
Zhang
Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
Eugenio
E
Butelli
Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
Saleh
S
Alseekh
Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
Takayuki
T
Tohge
The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
Ghanasyam
G
Rallapalli
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China.
Jie
J
Luo
Division of Crop Improvement, Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla 171001, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Prashant G
PG
Kawar
Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
Lionel
L
Hill
Institute of Sciences of Food Production C.N.R. Unit of Lecce, Via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
Angelo
A
Santino
Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
Alisdair R
AR
Fernie
Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
Cathie
C
Martin
D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D005419:Flavonoids; D010940:Plant Proteins