Melon Rind Color Stability via Sgr Gene Inactivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Melon breeders face challenges in combining extended shelf life with desirable taste and other commercially important properties, as traditional melons have short shelf life and climacteric characteristics, while long shelf life melons lack aroma and flavor, and intermediate shelf life melons are difficult to develop with complex trait compromises.
Innovation Solution
Inactivating the staygreen (sgr) gene on chromosome 9 through a splicing site mutation in Cucumis melo plants, which confers rind color stability and increased shelf life without affecting sugar content, firmness, or aroma, similar to non-long shelf life melons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional climacteric melon types are used, then desirable taste and aroma are achieved, but shelf life is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and inactivates the specific gene (sgr gene on chromosome 9) responsible for the climacteric ripening process. By introducing a loss-of-function mutation in the sgr gene, the patent removes the ethylene burst mechanism while preserving other desirable traits, thereby extending shelf life without completely eliminating flavor development
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physiological parameter of ethylene production by inactivating the sgr gene. This genetic modification alters the ripening trajectory, preventing the characteristic yellowing and softening associated with climacteric ripening, thus extending storage duration while maintaining acceptable taste qualities
2Duration of action of stationary object
If long shelf life (LSL) melon types are used, then storage period is extended, but aroma and flavor development are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention selectively removes only the sgr gene function responsible for triggering rapid ripening and color change, while leaving other genes involved in aroma and flavor synthesis intact. This partial extraction approach extends shelf life without completely suppressing quality development
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies partial action by inactivating only one specific gene (sgr) rather than multiple genes involved in ripening. This partial genetic modification achieves extended shelf life while allowing other ripening-related processes to proceed, resulting in better aroma and flavor retention compared to conventional LSL types
3Reliability
If intermediate shelf life (ISL) melon types are developed, then compromise between storage and taste is achieved, but breeding complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simplifies the breeding objective by identifying and targeting a single gene (sgr) for inactivation. This single-gene approach replaces complex multi-trait selection programs, making the development of extended shelf life varieties more straightforward and predictable
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the breeding strategy from selecting for intermediate phenotypic traits to directly modifying a specific genetic parameter (sgr gene function). This genetic parameter change provides a more reliable and faster route to achieving the desired shelf life extension with consistent results
Data Source
AI summary
A Cucumis melo plant, wherein the plant homozygously includes in its genome a mutant allele of the staygreen (sgr) gene on chromosome 9, wherein the mutant allele of the sgr gene includes at least one loss-of-function mutation in comparison to the sequence of a wild-type sgr allele (SEQ ID NO:1) and wherein the mutant allele of the sgr gene confers rind color stability to the fruits of the plant at maturity and/or during post-harvest, in comparison with an isogenic non-long shelf life (non-LSL) Cucumis melo plant which does not include the mutant allele. This further relates to parts, cells and seeds of the plants, as well as related methods and processes.