A grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) deoxy-d-xylulose synthase gene colocates with a major quantitative trait loci for terpenol content

Abstract

Linalool, geraniol, nerol, citronellol and alpha-terpineol are isoprenoid molecules responsible for specific aromas found in grapes and wines. Total concentrations (free and bound forms) of these compounds were measured in the skins of mature berries during 2 successive years in two progenies obtained from Muscat Ottonel and Gewurztraminer selfings. Partial genetic maps based on microsatellite markers were constructed and several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to terpenol content were detected. A major QTL on linkage group (LG) 5 colocated with a deoxy-D: -xylulose synthase gene, coding for the first enzyme of the plastidial isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway. The number of favourable alleles at this locus determined the level of terpenol synthesis. A second QTL, on LG 10, was found to determine the balance linalool versus geraniol and nerol in the Muscat self-progeny plants.

Environmental and seasonal influences on red raspberry flavour volatiles and identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes

“…Jennings (1988) suggested fruit were more aromatic in warm, dry areas than in mild and humid regions. Grape linalool and geraniol contents from mapping populations also showed significant differences in successive years (Duchêne et al 2009). …”

“…Both of these pathways, the cytosolic mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway and the plastid methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, produce IPP and DMAPP which are transformed into monoterpenes geraniol and linalool by their respective synthases. In grape, a 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS) gene from the MEP pathway co-localises with a major QTL for linalool, geraniol and neriol (Battilana et al 2009;Duchêne et al 2009), suggesting the MEP pathway is the major route to monoterpene production. In raspberry, QTL for these monoterpenes are located on different linkage groups: geraniol on LGs 2 and 5 and linalool on LGs 1 and 6 (Fig.…”

“…Previous reports of flavour volatile quantitative trait loci (QTL) include strawberry (Aharoni et al 2004), tomato (Tieman et al 2006), melon (Katzir et al 2008), grape (Sevini et al 2004;Duchêne et al 2009;Battilana et al 2009) and apple (Zini et al 2005;Dunemann et al 2009). In tomato, a QTL for six important volatiles seems responsible for the key cherry characters in larger progeny fruit and an allele malodorous correlated with a QTL for undesirable flavour notes (Fernie et al 2006).…”

The challenge of adapting grapevine varieties to climate change

“…On the one hand, we demonstrated that crossing RI and GW can generate a large genetic variability. Genotypes ripening almost as late as Grenache can be expected from such progenies, and we can potentially breed a new variety that reproduces the wine characters of the parents using molecular markers (Duchêne et al 2009a). On the other hand, this variability does not seem sufficient to compensate for the effect of climate change after 2050.…”

Development and Use of Biotechnology Tools for Grape Functional Analysis

“…The route to the functional characterization of the genetic basis of aroma in grapevine starts with two simultaneous reports demonstrating the colocalization of a grapevine 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (VviDXS) gene with a major QTL for terpenol content in LG 5 [11,53]. Moreover, by the analysis of the nucleotide diversity and linkage disequilibrium within the VviDXS gene, and testing for association between individual polymorphisms and Muscat flavor in different genetic backgrounds, Emanuelli et al [54] identified significant single nucleotide polymorphisms.…”