SUN Gene Gives Tomato Its Shape
By Michelle Fabio
Ever wonder why cherry tomatoes are small and round while Romas are long and oval-shaped?
Crop scientists at Ohio State University’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) did, and through studies “identified one key candidate gene that was turned on at high levels in the tomato varieties carrying the elongated fruit type, while the gene was turned off in round fruit.”
They named that gene SUN after the “Sun 1642” type of tomato, which looks like a Roma with a pointy end.
According to Esther van der Knaap, the lead researcher in the study, tomatoes “are the model in this emerging field of fruit morphology studies.” This is because of their unique evolution from a small, round shape in the wild into the hundreds if not thousands of varieties today.
After identifying one gene that was “turned on” at high levels in elongated fruit by “turned off” in round varieties, the researchers tested their theory that this was responsible for fruit shape by conducting plant transformation experiments.
Indeed, when the gene was “knocked out” of the plants normally bearing elongated fruit, the resulting fruit was round, and when the gene was introduced in round-fruit bearing plants, the new tomatoes were elongated.
What does this mean for us in the real world?
Besides allowing for new hybrids and also assurance that some tomato breeds won’t die out, perhaps you could soon order your very own designer tomatoes?
Source: Crop Scientists Discover Gene That Controls Fruit Shape
March 25th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Hello
I just came across you on blotanical and decided to look at your blog because I have been discussion tomatoes on my own post today
ESTHER IN THE GARDEN
About long / round tomatoes - Elongated varieties never seem to rise to the same quality of flavour as round ones.
Are you able to explain this?
Esther Montgomery