Papers by Andrea Mazzucato
Frontiers in Nutrition, 2019
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetable in the world and it repr... more Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetable in the world and it represents a large source of bioactive compounds, including carotenoids and polyphenols (phenolic acids and flavonoids). However, the concentration of flavonoids in tomato is considered sub-optimal, particularly because anthocyanins are not generally present. Therefore, this crop has been the object of an intense metabolic engineering in order to obtain anthocyanin-enriched tomatoes by using either breeding or transgenic strategies. Some wild tomato species, such as S. chilense and S. cheesmaniae, biosynthesize anthocyanins in the fruit sub-epidermal tissue, and some alleles from those genotypes have been introgressed into a new developed purple tomato line, called "Sun Black" (SB). It is a tomato line with a purple skin color, both in green and in red fruit stages, due to the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in the peel, and a normal red color pulp, with a taste just like a traditional tomato. SB is the result of a breeding programme and it is not a genetically modified (GM) product. We report the chemical characterization and structure elucidation of the attractive anthocyanins found in the peel of SB tomato, as well as other bioactive compounds (carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C) of the whole fruit. Using one-and two-dimensional NMR experiments, the two main anthocyanins were identified to be petunidin 3-O-[6 ′′-O-(4 ′′′-O-E-p-coumaroyl-α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-glucopyranoside]-5-O-β-glucopyranoside (petanin) and malvidin 3-O-[6 ′′-O-(4 ′′′-O-E-p-coumaroyl-α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-glucopyranoside]-5-O-β-glucopyranoside (negretein). The total anthocyanins in the whole ripe fruit was 1.2 mg/g dry weight (DW); 7.1 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW). Chlorogenic acid (the most abundant phenolic acid) was 0.6 mg/g DW; 3.7 mg/100 g FW. The main flavonol, rutin was 0.8 mg/g DW; 5 mg/100 g FW. The total carotenoid content was 211.3 µg/g DW; 1,268 µg/100 g FW. The total phenolic content was 8.6 mg/g DW; 52.2 mg/100 g FW. The vitamin C content was 37.3 mg/100 g FW. The antioxidant activities as measured by the TEAC and ORAC assays were 31.6 and 140.3 µmol TE/g DW, respectively (193 and 855.8 µmol TE/100 g FW, respectively). The results show the unique features of this new tomato genotype with nutraceutical properties.
Todos os direitos reservados A reprodução não autorizada desta publicação, no todo ou em parte, c... more Todos os direitos reservados A reprodução não autorizada desta publicação, no todo ou em parte, constitui violação dos direitos autorais (Lei nº 9.610).
Metabolites, 2020
San Marzano (SM) is a traditional Italian landrace characterized by red elongated fruits, origina... more San Marzano (SM) is a traditional Italian landrace characterized by red elongated fruits, originating in the province of Naples (Italy) and cultivated worldwide. Three mutations, yellow flesh (r), green flesh (gf) and colorless fruit epidermis (y) were introduced into SM by backcross and the resulting introgression lines (ILs) produced the expected yellow, brown and pink fruit variants. In addition, ILs carrying double combinations of those mutations were obtained. The six ILs plus the SM reference were analyzed for volatile (VOC), non-polar (NP) and polar (P) metabolites. Sixty-eight VOCs were identified, and several differences evidenced in the ILs; overall gf showed epistasis over r and y and r over y. Analysis of the NP component identified 54 metabolites; variation in early carotenoids (up to lycopene) and chlorophylls characterized respectively the ILs containing r and gf. In addition, compounds belonging to the quinone and xanthophyll classes were present in genotypes carryin...
Frontiers in Plant Science
Gene editing has already proved itself as an invaluable tool for the generation of mutants for cr... more Gene editing has already proved itself as an invaluable tool for the generation of mutants for crop breeding, yet its ultimate impact on agriculture will depend on how crops generated by gene editing technologies are regulated, and on our ability to characterize the impact of mutations on plant phenotype. A starting operational strategy for evaluating gene editing-based approaches to plant breeding might consist of assessing the effect of the induced mutations in a crop- and locus-specific manner: this involves the analysis of editing efficiency in different cultivars of a crop, the assessment of potential off-target mutations, and a phenotypic evaluation of edited lines carrying different mutated alleles. Here, we targeted the GREENFLESH (GF) locus in two tomato cultivars (‘MoneyMaker’ and ‘San Marzano’) and evaluated the efficiency, specificity and mutation patterns associated with CRISPR/Cas9 activity for this gene. The GF locus encodes a Mg-dechelatase responsible for initiating...
Horticulturae, 2022
The study describes the alterations in metabolomic profiles of four tomato fruit mutations introg... more The study describes the alterations in metabolomic profiles of four tomato fruit mutations introgressed into Solanum lycopersicum cv. San Marzano, a well-known Italian traditional variety. Three lines carrying variants affecting the content of all pigments, high pigment-1 (hp-1), hp-2, pigment diluter (pd), and a combination of Anthocyanin fruit and atroviolaceum (Aft_atv), were selected, and characterized. Biochemical analysis of 44 non-polar, 133 polar, and 65 volatile metabolites in ripe fruits revealed a wide range of differences between the variant lines and the recurrent parent San Marzano. Among non-polar compounds, many carotenoids, plastoquinones, and tocopherols increased in the fruit of high pigment lines, as well as in Aft_atv, whose β-carotene levels increased too. Interestingly, pd displayed enriched levels of xanthophylls (all-trans-neoxanthin and luteoxanthin) but, simultaneously, decreased levels of α-and β-/γ-tocopherols. Looking at the metabolites in the polar fra...
This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics... more This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contac
A comprehensive collection of 1,254 tomato accessions corresponding to European heirlooms and lan... more A comprehensive collection of 1,254 tomato accessions corresponding to European heirlooms and landraces, together with modern varieties, early domesticates and wild relatives, were analyzed by genotyping by sequencing. A continuous genetic gradient between the vintage and modern varieties was observed. European vintage tomatoes displayed very low genetic diversity, with only 298 loci out of 64,943 variants being polymorphic at the 95% threshold. European vintage tomatoes could be classified in several genetic groups. Two main clusters consisting of Spanish and Italian accessions showed a higher genetic diversity than the rest varieties, suggesting that these regions might be independent secondary centers of diversity and with a different history. Other varieties seem to be the result of a more recent complex pattern of migrations and hybridizations among the European regions. Several polymorphic loci were associated in a GWAS with fruit morphological traits in the European vintage c...
Development, 1998
Among the different sources of genetic parthenocarpy described in tomato, the mutation referred t... more Among the different sources of genetic parthenocarpy described in tomato, the mutation referred to as parthenocarpic fruit (pat) is of particular interest because of its strong expressivity and because it confers earlier ripening, higher fruit set and enhanced fruit quality. As a pleiotropic effect, pat flowers have aberrantly developing androecia and reduced male and female fertility. In this work we extend the early description of the pat phenotype by investigating the expression of parthenocarpy in three different environments and by using light and scanning electron microscopy to analyse the development of male and female floral organs. The degree of parthenocarpy was high in the three experimental environments and was characterised by a precocious initiation of ovary growth to pre-anthesis floral stages. Aberrations in anther development were evident at flower bud stages and resulted in shorter, irregular and teratoid organs. Ectopic production of carpel-like structures bearing...
Foods, 2021
The health benefits of tomato, a vegetable consumed daily in human diets, have received great att... more The health benefits of tomato, a vegetable consumed daily in human diets, have received great attention in the scientific community, and a great deal of experiments have tested their utility against several diseases. Herein, we present a scientometric analysis of recent works aimed to estimate the biological effects of tomato, focusing on bibliographic metadata, type of testers, target systems, and methods of analysis. A remarkably variable array of strategies was reported, including testers obtained by standard and special tomatoes, and the use of in vitro and in vivo targets, both healthy and diseased. In vitro, 21 normal and 36 cancer human cell lines derived from 13 different organs were used. The highest cytotoxic effects were reported on cancer blood cells. In vivo, more experiments were carried out with murine than with human systems, addressing healthy individuals, as well as stressed and diseased patients. Multivariate analysis showed that publications in journals indexed i...
Frontiers in Plant Science, 2019
Planta, Jan 17, 2017
The introgression of the A ft allele into domesticated tomato induced a shift from flavonol to an... more The introgression of the A ft allele into domesticated tomato induced a shift from flavonol to anthocyanin production in response to UV-B radiation, while the hp - 1 allele negatively influenced the response of flavonoid biosynthesis to UV-B. Introgression of the dominant allele Anthocyanin fruit (Aft) from Solanum chilense induces anthocyanin accumulation in the peel of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit. UV-B radiation can influence plant secondary metabolism regulating the expression of several genes, among which those involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Here, we investigated whether post-harvest UV-B treatment could up-regulate flavonoid production in tomato fruits and whether the Aft allele could affect flavonoid biosynthesis under UV-B radiation. Mature green fruits of an anthocyanin-rich tomato mutant line (SA206) and of its wild-type reference, cv. Roma, were daily subjected to post-harvest UV-B treatment until full ripening. Up-regulation of CHS and CHI transcription by...
PloS one, 2017
The 7B-1 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv Rutgers) is a male-sterile mutant with enhanced toler... more The 7B-1 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv Rutgers) is a male-sterile mutant with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress, which makes it a potential candidate for hybrid seed breeding and stress engineering. To underline the molecular mechanism regulating the male-sterility in 7B-1, transcriptomic profiles of the 7B-1 male-sterile and wild type (WT) anthers were studied using mRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). In total, 768 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 132 up-regulated and 636 down-regulated transcripts. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of DEGs suggested a general impact of the 7B-1 mutation on metabolic processes, such as proteolysis and carbohydrate catabolic process. Sixteen candidates with key roles in regulation of anther development were subjected to further analysis using qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Cytological studies showed several defects associated with anther development in the 7B-1 mutant, including unsynchronized anther maturatio...
Plant survival under abiotic stresses, like thermal stress, requires the retaining of structural ... more Plant survival under abiotic stresses, like thermal stress, requires the retaining of structural and functional composition of cell membranes. Among the others factors, maintaining biological membranes fluidity is thought to help improving the resistance to these kinds of stresses. In fact, adjustment of membrane fluidity makes it possible to maintain an environment suitable for the functioning of critical integral proteins during stress. Cold tolerance has been correlated with the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids in the phospholipids and glycolipids composing the membranes. Indeed, plants respond to cold temperatures by releasing α-linolenic acid (18:3) from membranes and significantly increasing tri-unsaturated linolenic acid at low temperature exposition. This observation suggests that possibly the degree of unsaturation of membrane lipid fatty acids is a factor helping also the resistance at high temperatures. However, heating stress has been less investigated and the role ...
Italian Journal of Agronomy, 2009
Le produzioni agricole tradizionali italiane, caratterizzate da una ricca diversità genetica, pos... more Le produzioni agricole tradizionali italiane, caratterizzate da una ricca diversità genetica, possono incrementare la competitività del comparto agricolo mediante l'ottenimento di marchi di qualità da parte della Unione Europea. La protezione dei marchi di qualità richiede strumenti appropriati per l'accertamento dell'identità genetica dei materiali vegetali pregiati sia in campo che nelle rispettive filiere agro-alimentari. Il fingeprinting del DNA rappresenta un eccellente metodo di identificazione di cultivars ed accessioni di specie erbacee ed arboree e, quando basato su profili allelici di specifici marcatori quali gli SSR, può tracciare ed autenticare le materie prime nelle filiere agroalimentari. Vengono descritti esempi di caratterizzazione della diversità molecolare ed identificazione varietale di specie erbacee ed arboree mediante i profili SSR, AFLP e (GATA) 4. Vengono, inoltre, descritti esempi di tracciabilità genetica dei materiali vegetali delle filiere olivo, melo, frumento duro e pomodoro.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2013
The production of anthocyanins in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit is normally absent o... more The production of anthocyanins in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit is normally absent or poor, but a number of mutants or introgression lines are known to increase anthocyanin levels in vegetative and reproductive tissues. Through conventional breeding, a genetic combination was obtained with the remarkable phenotype of a deep purple fruit pigmentation, due to an accumulation of anthocyanins on the peel. Such a genotype was named Sun Black (SB) as a consequence of its sensitivity to light induction. When characterized for morpho-agronomic traits, SB plants showed increased fertility. Purple fruits displayed an arrangement of the epicarp cells different from normal tomatoes, a feature that could account for different mechanical properties and shelf-life potential. The SB genotype and, to a lesser extent, its single mutant parents showed the capacity to accumulate anthocyanins in the seedling root when grown under light. This phenotype, which was greatly improved by the addition of sucrose to the germination medium, proved to be useful as selection index and gave new insights for in vitro production of anthocyanin extracts. To assess the nutraceutical potential of purple tomatoes, we tested the activity of SB skin extracts on the proliferation of two human cancer cells lines. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by SB extract in a dose-dependent manner. When the bioactivity of SB extracts was compared with that of other anthocyanin-containing fruits or vegetables, a significant "Extract*Line" interaction was evidenced, suggesting a crucial role for the extract composition in terms of anthocyanidins and other eventual cell growth-inhibiting compounds.
Food Funct., 2014
30% of tartary buckwheat sprouts (TBS) were incorporated in an experimental pasta which has a hig... more 30% of tartary buckwheat sprouts (TBS) were incorporated in an experimental pasta which has a high content of quercetin. TBS pasta has antioxidant and hypothensive effects in SHR.
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Papers by Andrea Mazzucato