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Fruit-specific RNAi-mediated suppression of DET1 enhances carotenoid and flavonoid content in tomatoes

Nature Biotechnology volume 23, pages 890–895 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Tomatoes are a principal dietary source of carotenoids and flavonoids, both of which are highly beneficial for human health1,2. Overexpression of genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes or transcription factors have resulted in tomatoes with improved carotenoid or flavonoid content, but never with both3,4,5,6,7. We attempted to increase tomato fruit nutritional value by suppressing an endogenous photomorphogenesis regulatory gene, DET1, using fruit-specific promoters combined with RNA interference (RNAi) technology. Molecular analysis indicated that DET1 transcripts were indeed specifically degraded in transgenic fruits. Both carotenoid and flavonoid contents were increased significantly, whereas other parameters of fruit quality were largely unchanged. These results demonstrate that manipulation of a plant regulatory gene can simultaneously influence the production of several phytonutrients generated from independent biosynthetic pathways, and provide a novel example of the use of organ-specific gene silencing to improve the nutritional value of plant-derived products.

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Figure 1: Fruit-specific phenotypes of T2 generation transgenic plants containing a TDET1 inverted-repeat transgene driven by different promoters.
Figure 2: Analysis of TDET1 RNA in transgenic plants containing fruit-specific promoter constructs.
Figure 3: Quantification of carotenoid and flavonoid contents in red-ripe fruits from T56 (wild type, WT) and different lines of T2 generation plants containing fruit-specific promoter constructs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Seminis Vegetable Seeds Inc., and by funding from the European Union (contract QLK5-CT-2000-00357), the Italian Ministry for Research and Education (FIRB contract RBNE01CFKB) to C.B. P.D.F. and P.M.B. acknowledge financial support from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (C19322).

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Author notes

  1. Ageeth van Tuinen

    Present address: Laboratory for Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD, Wageningen, The Netherlands

  2. Robert Newman

    Present address: Verdia Inc., 200 Penobscot Drive, Redwood City, California, 94063, USA

  3. David A Brummell

    Present address: Crop and Food Research, Food Industry Science Center, Batchelar Road, Palmerston North, New Zealand

  4. Stephen R King

    Present address: Department of Horticultural Sciences, Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843-2119, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cell Signaling Laboratory, Stazione Zoologica, Villa Comunale, Naples, I-80121, Italy

    Ganga Rao Davuluri, Ageeth van Tuinen, Alessandro Manfredonia & Chris Bowler

  2. Royal Holloway, University of London, Biological Sciences, Egham, TW20 OEX, Surrey, UK

    Paul D Fraser & Peter M Bramley

  3. DNA Plant Technology, 6701 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, 94608, California, USA

    Robert Newman, Diane Burgess & David A Brummell

  4. Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc., 37437 State Highway 16, Woodland, 95695, California, USA

    Stephen R King, Joe Palys, John Uhlig & Henk M J Pennings

  5. CNRS/ENS FRE2910, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 46 rue d'Ulm, Paris, 75230, Cedex 05, France

    Chris Bowler

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  1. Ganga Rao Davuluri
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Correspondence to Chris Bowler.

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Davuluri, G., van Tuinen, A., Fraser, P. et al. Fruit-specific RNAi-mediated suppression of DET1 enhances carotenoid and flavonoid content in tomatoes. Nat Biotechnol 23, 890–895 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1108

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