Vte5 and clorofilase gene silencing effect on vitamin E content in Solanum lycopersicum

• Grant number: 11/20460-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Maria Magdalena Rossi
• Grantee: Gabriella Ines Everett
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Solanum lycopersicum (tomatoe) is one of the most important species, economically speaking, with a large worldwide production and consumption, thanks to its high nutritional levels, specially antioxidant and micronutrient components. Today it is considered to be a valuable plant model in the research of development of fruits. Our Research group has, recently, concluded a study regarding the Vitamin E's biosyntheses in tomatoes, of which all the genes involved in the path have been described. Also, the QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) involved in VTE content were mapped and some related genes were identified. Among those genes, the ones encoding the VTE5 enzyme (Phytol Kinase) and CHL (chlorophyllase) are presented at the final stage of the fruit ripening process, by chlorophyll degradation. This process in turn, leads to phytil 2P's production, that nourishes the central feeding route of the VTE biosyntheses; determining or helping the final nutritional content of the ripe fruit. In order to evaluate the role of these genes in VTE biosyntheses, this project will proceed in a functional analysis of the VTE5 and CHT genes, throughout Virus-induced gene silencing. Afterwards, the silenced plants' phenotype will be observed, using for such, qPCR and HPLC quantification ratio to estipulate VTE content.