Dataset Information

Deletion of beta-fructofuranosidase (invertase) genes is associated with sucrose content in Date Palm fruit.

ABSTRACT: The fruit of date palm trees are an important part of the diet for a large portion of the Middle East and North Africa. The fruit is consumed both fresh and dry and can be stored dry for extended periods of time. Date fruits vary significantly across hundreds of cultivars identified in the main regions of cultivation. Most dried date fruit are low in sucrose but high in glucose and fructose. However, high sucrose content is a distinctive feature of some date fruit and affects flavor as well as texture and water retention. To identify the genes controlling high sucrose content, we analyzed date fruit metabolomics for association with genotype data from 120 date fruits. We found significant association of dried date sucrose content and a genomic region that contains 3 tandem copies of the beta-fructofuranosidase (invertase) gene in the reference Khalas genome, a low-sucrose fruit. High-sucrose cultivars including the popular Deglet Noor had a homozygous deletion of two of the 3 copies of the invertase gene. We show the deletion allele is derived when compared to the ancestral allele that retains all copies of the gene in 3 other species of Phoenix. The fact that 2 of the 3 tandem invertase copies are associated with dry fruit sucrose content will assist in better understanding the distinct roles of multiple date palm invertases in plant physiology. Identification of the recessive alleles associated with end-point sucrose content in date fruit may be used in selective breeding in the future.

SUBMITTER: Malek JA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7251787 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Deletion of beta-fructofuranosidase (invertase) genes is associated with sucrose content in Date Palm fruit.

Malek Joel A JA Mathew Sweety S Mathew Lisa S LS Younuskunju Shameem S Mohamoud Yasmin A YA Suhre Karsten K

Plant direct 20200527 5

The fruit of date palm trees are an important part of the diet for a large portion of the Middle East and North Africa. The fruit is consumed both fresh and dry and can be stored dry for extended periods of time. Date fruits vary significantly across hundreds of cultivars identified in the main regions of cultivation. Most dried date fruit are low in sucrose but high in glucose and fructose. However, high sucrose content is a distinctive feature of some date fruit and affects flavor as well as t ...[more]

PMID: 32490345

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Sucrose content is a highly desirable trait in sugarcane as the worldwide demand for cost-effective biofuels surges. Sugarcane cultivars differ in their capacity to accumulate sucrose and breeding programs routinely perform crosses to identify genotypes able to produce more sucrose. Sucrose content in the mature internodes reach around 20% of the culms dry weight. Genotypes in the populations reflect their genetic program and may display contrasting growth, development, and physiology, all of which affect carbohydrate metabolism. Few studies have profiled gene expression related to sugarcane's sugar content. The identification of signal transduction components and transcription factors that might regulate sugar accumulation is highly desirable if we are to improve this characteristic of sugarcane plants. RESULTS: We have evaluated thirty genotypes that have different Brix (sugar) levels and identified genes differentially expressed in internodes using cDNA microarrays. These genes were compared to existing gene expression data for sugarcane plants subjected to diverse stress and hormone treatments. The comparisons revealed a strong overlap between the drought and sucrose-content datasets and a limited overlap with ABA signaling. Genes associated with sucrose content were extensively validated by qRT-PCR, which highlighted several protein kinases and transcription factors that are likely to be regulators of sucrose accumulation. The data also indicate that aquaporins, as well as lignin biosynthesis and cell wall metabolism genes, are strongly related to sucrose accumulation. Moreover, sucrose-associated genes were shown to be directly responsive to short term sucrose stimuli, confirming their role in sugar-related pathways. CONCLUSION: Gene expression analysis of sugarcane populations contrasting for sucrose content indicated a possible overlap with drought and cell wall metabolism processes and suggested signaling and transcriptional regulators to be used as molecular markers in breeding programs. Transgenic research is necessary to further clarify the role of the genes and define targets useful for sugarcane improvement programs based on transgenic plants.

Dataset Information

Deletion of beta-fructofuranosidase (invertase) genes is associated with sucrose content in Date Palm fruit.

Publications

Deletion of beta-fructofuranosidase (invertase) genes is associated with sucrose content in Date Palm fruit.

Similar Datasets

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