Carotenogenic Gene Expression and Carotenoid Accumulation in Three Varieties of Cucurbita pepo during Fruit Development

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 61; no. 26; pp. 6393 - 6403
• Main Authors: Obrero, Ángeles, González-Verdejo, Clara I, Die, Jose V, Gómez, Pedro, Del Río-Celestino, Mercedes, Román, Belén
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 03.07.2013
• Subjects: Antioxidants - analysis; Antioxidants - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; biosynthesis; carotenoids; Carotenoids - analysis; Carotenoids - biosynthesis; color; Cucurbita - enzymology; Cucurbita - growth & development; Cucurbita - metabolism; Cucurbita pepo; cultivars; Dietary Proteins - metabolism; flowers; Food industries; Fruit - enzymology; Fruit - growth & development; Fruit - metabolism; Fruit and vegetable industries; fruiting; fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; genes; Intramolecular Lyases - biosynthesis; Intramolecular Lyases - genetics; Intramolecular Lyases - metabolism; Plant Proteins - biosynthesis; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Spain; transcription (genetics); Spain; Cucurbita pepo; carotenoid; lutein; transcriptional regulation; lycopene ε-cyclase; Fruit; Xanthophyll; Cucurbitaceae; Gene expression; Lycopene; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Pigments; Development; Spermatophyta; Regulation; Carotenoid; Variety
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf4004576

The control of gene expression is a crucial regulatory mechanism in carotenoid accumulation of fruits and flowers. We investigated the role of transcriptional regulation of nine genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in three varieties of Cucurbita pepo with evident differences in fruit color. The transcriptional levels of the key genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis were higher in flower-, leaf-, and fruit skin tissues than flesh tissues. This correlated with higher concentration of carotenoid content in these tissues. The differential expression among the colored and white cultivars detected for some genes, such as LCYe, in combination with other regulatory mechanisms, could explain the large differences found in terms of carotenoid content among the three varieties. These results are a first step to elucidate carotenogenesis in C. pepo and demonstrate that, in general, regulation of the pathway genes is a critical factor that determines the accumulation of these compounds.