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Phenylalanine biosynthesis and its relationship to accumulation of capsaicinoids during Capsicum chinense fruit development

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Activities of phenylalanine (Phe) biosynthetic enzymes chorismate mutase (CM) and arogenate dehydratase (ADT) and of phenylalanine ammonia lyase [PAL, an enzyme that directs Phe towards capsaicinoid (CAP) synthesis] were analyzed during Capsicum chinense Jacq. (habanero pepper) fruit development. A maximum CM activity coincided with a maximum CAP accumulation. However, ADT exhibited two activity peaks, one during the early phase (10 - 17 days post-anthesis, DPA) and another during the late phase (35 - 37 DPA); only the latter coincided with CAP. Interestingly, PAL activity was inversely related to CAP accumulation; lower activities coincided with a maximum CAP content. These results suggest the operation of a control mechanism that coordinated Phe synthesis and its channeling towards CAP synthesis during the course of fruit development.

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Abbreviations

ADT:

arogenate dehydratase

CAP:

capsaicinoids

CM:

chorismate mutase

DPA:

days post-anthesis

f.m.:

fresh mass

PAL:

phenylalanine ammonia lyase

Phe:

phenylalanine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, 97200, México

    L. A. Castro-Concha, F. M. Baas-Espinola, W. R. Ancona-Escalante, F. A. Vázquez-Flota & M. L. Miranda-Ham

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  1. L. A. Castro-Concha
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  2. F. M. Baas-Espinola
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  3. W. R. Ancona-Escalante
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  4. F. A. Vázquez-Flota
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  5. M. L. Miranda-Ham
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. L. Miranda-Ham.

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to acknowledge Q.F.B. Raúl Manzanilla for maintaining the plants and L.D.P. Norma Marmolejo for editing the graphic material. This work was funded by the CONACYT (México), Grant 168545. FMBE was the recipient of a CONACYT scholarship for Ph.D. studies. The first two authors contributed equally to this work.

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Castro-Concha, L.A., Baas-Espinola, F.M., Ancona-Escalante, W.R. et al. Phenylalanine biosynthesis and its relationship to accumulation of capsaicinoids during Capsicum chinense fruit development. Biol Plant 60, 579–584 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-016-0608-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-016-0608-4

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