Transient Overexpression of Glycoside Hydrolase in Fragaria X ananassa
Strawberry is a popular red fruit with high demand. However, flavor and aroma qualities have been overlooked in modern cultivars. Flavor has become increasingly important to consumers. Therefore, strawberry breeding programs are exploring flavor profiles to meet the needs of consumers and growers. Furanones are a class of major volatile organic compounds in strawberry contributing to flavor, specifically 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF). Within the mesifurane pathway, a candidate gene, glycoside hydrolase (FaGH), was identified via volatile GWAS and is hypothesized to be responsible for increasing HDMF content in strawberry fruit contributing to a more intense flavor of caramelized sugar. Previous research has shown that glucosyltransferase is responsible for the formation of HDMF glucoside, we hypothesize FaGH catalyzes the reverse reaction to produce HDMF. The objective our experiment is to validate the function of FaGH and its role within the mesifurane pathway. Gateway cloning was used for the vector transformation. The next step will be the agro-infiltration of strawberry fruit with FaGH overexpression vector.