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Archives (2000)
Genetic engineering
delays ripening in papaya and mango
by Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza,
IPB, UPLB |
October-December
2000
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Through modern biotechnology or genetic engineering,
researchers from the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), College
of Agriculture at the University of the Philippines Los Baños
enhanced two of the country's major fruit crops, papaya and
mango to delay their ripening traits. Fruits with longer shelf
lives can be now exported to more distant countries, making
them more in-demand to the local market. They stay fresh longer
without special refrigeration or other storage conditions.
 The
process was done by cloning the ripening-related enzymes (specifically,
the ACC (1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate) synthase genes)
from ripe fruits of local varieties of papaya and mango. This
was conducted by the research team of Drs. Antonio C. Laurena
and Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, Amy Bernardo, and Marie Sol
P. Hidalgo. The process of genetic engineering involved putting
the ACC synthase gene in antisense direction (opposite the
usual direction) in a piece of DNA vector that contains elements,
which regulated the expression of the gene. Dr. Laurena's
team prepared this vector containing the ACC synthase gene,
also called a gene construct.
At this point, the team of Dr. Pablito Magdalita,
Dr. Violeta N. Villegas, and Bessie Yabut-Perez delivers the
gene construct to plant tissues such as those of papaya by
accelerated particles in an instrument called a particle gun.
Because the ACC synthase gene is in antisense direction, production
of ethylene is suppressed particularly at the ripening stage,
thus, the ripening of the fruit is delayed.
In the P2 containment laboratory at IPB, small
plantlets of papaya produced by this process are now in culture.
They are eventually hardened and grown in special insect-proof
screenhouse at the IPB compound and their fruits are evaluated
for the delayed ripening trait. For mango, the ripening-related
gene of ACC synthase has been cloned while somatic embryogenic
tissues of mango var. Carabao have been obtained. The delivery
of the gene construct into mango tissues by particle bombardment
is scheduled to take place within this year.
This biotechnology project was funded by the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Council
for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD) and the Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research (ACIAR). This was done in collaboration
with the University of Queensland's Plant Genetic Engineering
Laboratory under Dr. Jose Ramon Botella. 
(For more information, please contact Dr.
Violeta N. Villegas, Director or Dr. Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza,
Program Leader, IPB Plant Biotechnology Program, College of
Agriculture, UPLB, College, Laguna or call at telephone nos.
(049) 536-3304 or 536-2298)
More Articles:
Vol. 2 No. 4
October-December 2000
»»
CERDAF approves 16 NIRDEAPs
»» DA
launches biotech program under PL480 fund
»» Genetic
engineering delays ripening in papaya and mango
»» Enzyme
extraction of essential oils
»» DA-BAR
grants P34.4-M to biotech RDE network
»» Transgenic
IR72: hope for the rice farmers
»» 13 sacks
of palay for P60
»»
Small farmers' gain from GE crops higher than those of commercial farmers
»» Bagoong
alamang beneficial to human health?
»» Filipino
scientists clone mango and papaya genes
»» Philippine
Ag-Biotech: how far have we come
»» National
integrated RDE agenda and program for biotechnology
[More
2000 Articles]
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