Raspberries genes

Li J, Zhang D, Stoner GD and Huang C. 2008. Differential effects of black raspberry and strawberry extracts on BaPDE-induced activation of transcription factors and their target genes. Mol Carcinogenesis 47 286-294. 

Expression and Function of Aromatic Polyketide Synthase Genes in Raspberries Rubus idaeus sp.)... 

Raspberries accumulate a variety of flavonoid and aroma compounds that derive from PKS type III reactions (Borejsza-Wysocki and Hrazdina, 1996, Zheng et al., 2001). CHS produces precursors for flavonol, flavandiol and anthocyanin synthesis. Benzalacetone synthase (BAS) carries out a single condensation step in the synthesis of p-hydroxybenzalacetone, the precursor of raspberry ketone, that is responsible for the characteristic aroma of raspberries. To understand the role of the type III PKS during the ripening of fruits, we cloned and characterized five type III PKS genes/gene products and discuss then-properties below. 

Further analysis of the raspberry PKS genes has shown that the proteins coded by the five genes have the seven conserved cysteines at positions 30,60,84,130,164,190 and 341. Cysteines at these conserved locations are likely to have structural functions, because in addition to the CHS from which the consensus sequence derives, they were found at identical or similar locations in Arachis hypogea STS, in the Gerbera hybrida 2-pyrone synthase (2PS), in the Ruta graveolens acridone synthase (ACS), the Rheum palmatum benzalacetone synthase (BAS) and in the aleosone synthase (ALS) (Abe et al., 2004). 

Wang LS, Kuo CT, Cho SJ, et al. Black raspberry-derived anthocyanins demethylate tumor suppressor genes through the inhibition of DNMTl and DNMT3B in colon cancer cells. Nutr Cancer. 2013 65(1) 118—125. 

Several candidate genes from raspberry and other plants involved in the biosynthesis have been recently cloned and expressed in E. coli. Cultures of the resulting recombinant strain produced significant levels of raspberry ketone (up to 5 mgl ), but the yields could not be improved [146]. 

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