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Linalool and linalool oxide production in transgenic carnation flowers expressing the Clarkia breweri linalool synthase gene

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Abstract

Most modern cut-flower cultivars, including those of carnation(Dianthus caryophyllus), lack distinct fragrance.Carnationcv. Eilat flowers produce and emit various fragrance compounds, includingbenzoic acid derivatives and sesquiterpenes, but not monoterpenes. Based onGC-MS analysis, benzoic acid, benzyl benzoate, phenylethyl benzoate, methylbenzoate, cis-3-hexenyl benzoate and β-caryophylleneare the major fragrance compounds, representing ca. 60% of the total volatilesgenerated by these flowers. The level of these compounds increases dramaticallyduring petal development. To evaluate the possibility of producing monoterpenesin carnation cv. Eilat, we generated transgenic plants expressing the linaloolsynthase gene from Clarkia breweri under the regulation ofthe CaMV 35S constitutive promoter. The product of this gene catalyzes theproduction of the monoterpene linalool from geranyl diphosphate. HeadspaceGC-MSanalysis revealed that leaves and flowers of transgenic, but not controlplants,emit linalool and its derivatives, cis- andtrans-linalool oxide. GC-MS analysis of petal extractrevealed the accumulation of trans-linalool oxide but notlinalool. The emission of linalool by the transgenic flowers did not lead todetectable changes in flower scent for human olfaction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel

    Michal Lavy, Amir Zuker, Alexander Vainstein & David Weiss

  2. Division of Aromatic Plants, ARO, Newe Ya'ar, Ramat Yishay, 30095, Israel

    Efraim Lewinsohn, Olga Larkov & Uzi Ravid

Authors
  1. Michal Lavy
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  2. Amir Zuker
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  3. Efraim Lewinsohn
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  4. Olga Larkov
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  5. Uzi Ravid
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  6. Alexander Vainstein
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  7. David Weiss
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Correspondence to David Weiss.

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Lavy, M., Zuker, A., Lewinsohn, E. et al. Linalool and linalool oxide production in transgenic carnation flowers expressing the Clarkia breweri linalool synthase gene. Molecular Breeding 9, 103–111 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026755414773

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