Newly Discovered Gene Grows Sweeter, Well-Growing Tomatoes

Scientists may have a new method for creating sweeter, well-growing tomatoes. They've used a bioinformatics search tool to find nucleotide sequences in the tomato genome similar to a known tobacco gene sequence that can be repressed by sucrose.

In this latest study, the researchers used a bioinformatics search tool to find nucleotide sequences in the tomato genome similar to a known tobacco gene sequence that can be repressed by sucrose.

The researchers identified two genes with very similar sequences to the tobacco gene in the tomato plant. The main gene sequence was placed under the control of another gene, called E8, to express the target gene. The modified DNA was then inserted into tomato plants. The resulting tomato lines were found to have 50 percent more sucrose than normal tomatoes and actually showed no growth retardation.

Based on the results, the researchers are now developing a new modified DNA sequence containing 2A11, which functions during more of the fruit's development than E8.

The researchers believe that it's likely that most flowering plants, or angiosperms, contain similar sucrose-susceptible germs. This makes the "sweetening technology" widely applicable for the future.

The findings are published in Plant Biotechnology Journal.

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