Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues
Gene families involved in specialised metabolism play a key role in a myriad of ecophysiological and biochemical functions. The <i>Vitis vinifera</i> sesquiterpene synthases represent the largest subfamily of grapevine terpene synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) genes and are important...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/8/1520 |
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| author | Samuel J. Smit Melané A. Vivier Philip R. Young |
| author_facet | Samuel J. Smit Melané A. Vivier Philip R. Young |
| author_sort | Samuel J. Smit |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gene families involved in specialised metabolism play a key role in a myriad of ecophysiological and biochemical functions. The <i>Vitis vinifera</i> sesquiterpene synthases represent the largest subfamily of grapevine terpene synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) genes and are important volatile metabolites for wine flavour and aroma, as well as ecophysiological interactions. The functional characterisation of <i>VviTPS</i> genes is complicated by a reliance on a single reference genome that greatly underrepresents this large gene family, exacerbated by extensive duplications and paralogy. The recent release of multiple phased diploid grapevine genomes, as well as extensive whole-genome resequencing efforts, provide a wealth of new sequence information that can be utilised to overcome the limitations of the reference genome. A large cluster of sesquiterpene synthases, localised to chromosome 18, was explored by means of comparative sequence analyses using the publicly available grapevine reference genome, three PacBio phased diploid genomes and whole-genome resequencing data from multiple genotypes. Two genes, <i>VviTPS04</i> and -<i>10</i>, were identified as putative paralogues and/or allelic variants. Subsequent gene isolation from multiple grapevine genotypes and characterisation by means of a heterologous in planta expression and volatile analysis resulted in the identification of genotype-specific structural variations and polymorphisms that impact the gene function. These results present novel insight into how grapevine domestication likely shaped the <i>VviTPS</i> landscape to result in genotype-specific functions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:28:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21553b000c7d4c75859948c599056d47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:28:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-21553b000c7d4c75859948c599056d472023-11-22T09:17:30ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472021-07-01108152010.3390/plants10081520Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and OrthologuesSamuel J. Smit0Melané A. Vivier1Philip R. Young2Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Faculty of AgriSciences, South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South AfricaDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology, Faculty of AgriSciences, South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South AfricaDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology, Faculty of AgriSciences, South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South AfricaGene families involved in specialised metabolism play a key role in a myriad of ecophysiological and biochemical functions. The <i>Vitis vinifera</i> sesquiterpene synthases represent the largest subfamily of grapevine terpene synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) genes and are important volatile metabolites for wine flavour and aroma, as well as ecophysiological interactions. The functional characterisation of <i>VviTPS</i> genes is complicated by a reliance on a single reference genome that greatly underrepresents this large gene family, exacerbated by extensive duplications and paralogy. The recent release of multiple phased diploid grapevine genomes, as well as extensive whole-genome resequencing efforts, provide a wealth of new sequence information that can be utilised to overcome the limitations of the reference genome. A large cluster of sesquiterpene synthases, localised to chromosome 18, was explored by means of comparative sequence analyses using the publicly available grapevine reference genome, three PacBio phased diploid genomes and whole-genome resequencing data from multiple genotypes. Two genes, <i>VviTPS04</i> and -<i>10</i>, were identified as putative paralogues and/or allelic variants. Subsequent gene isolation from multiple grapevine genotypes and characterisation by means of a heterologous in planta expression and volatile analysis resulted in the identification of genotype-specific structural variations and polymorphisms that impact the gene function. These results present novel insight into how grapevine domestication likely shaped the <i>VviTPS</i> landscape to result in genotype-specific functions.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/8/1520grapevineterpene synthasesesquiterpenegenotypic variationgene structure |
| spellingShingle | Samuel J. Smit Melané A. Vivier Philip R. Young Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues Plants grapevine terpene synthase sesquiterpene genotypic variation gene structure |
| title | Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues |
| title_full | Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues |
| title_fullStr | Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues |
| title_short | Seeing the Forest through the (Phylogenetic) Trees: Functional Characterisation of Grapevine Terpene Synthase (<i>VviTPS</i>) Paralogues and Orthologues |
| title_sort | seeing the forest through the phylogenetic trees functional characterisation of grapevine terpene synthase i vvitps i paralogues and orthologues |
| topic | grapevine terpene synthase sesquiterpene genotypic variation gene structure |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/8/1520 |
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