GOLDEN2-LIKE Transcription factors: Keys to Tomato Development

A quality fruit is always in demand. It is what every producer or consumer wants. Good appearance, palatability and nutritional value are just a few of the points of consideration when talking about quality. All of these factors, however, are dependent on all processes during fruit ripening. This period is critical since it is where the quality of the fruit is developed. A recent study has discovered the work of two transcription factors during tomato fruit ripening and how they affect your fruits.

The GOLDEN2-LIKE transcription factors (GLK1 and GLK2), present in most plants, both regulate plastid and chlorophyll levels. However, the study found GLK1 to be more important in leaves while GLK2 is more predominant in fruits. The study explored the effects of GLK through overexpression in different plant parts. This led to an increase in fruit quality without affecting non-fruit parts. This means that overexpression of GLKs can be employed as a means of affecting fruit quality through improved sugar levels, carotenoids, organic acids which also translates to favorable flavors. They also found that quality effects of the transcription factors are additive, which presents a potential for amplified fruit quality improvement.

The quest for producing top-of-the-line fruits is still a long way to go. But given this new discovery, we may just took huge shortcut.

Read more at http://www.plantcell.org/content/early/2014/02/07/tpc.113.118794.abstract.