Clarification of molecular mechanism for active biosynthesis and abundant accumulation of ascorbic acid in acerola.

针叶树（Malpighia glabra）是一种外来水果，主要因其丰富的抗坏血酸含量而栽培，其抗坏血酸含量比柠檬高20倍以上。本研究阐明了针叶树体内抗坏血酸合成和积累的分子调控机制。此外，抗坏血酸生物合成相关基因从针叶树已被操纵，以产生抗坏血酸丰富的转基因植物。针叶树抗坏血酸生物合成酶基因的过度表达导致转基因植物的抗坏血酸含量增加了2 - 3倍。

Acerola(Malpighia glabra) is an exotic fruit cultivated primarily for its abundant ascorbate content, which is over 20-fold higher than ascorbate content in lemon. The molecular mechanisms that regulate the biosynthesis and accumulation of a large amount of ascorbic acid in acerola have been clarified in this study. Also, ascorbic acid biosynthesis-related genes from acerola have been manipulated to generate ascorbic acid-rich transgenic plants. The overexpression of acerola ascorbate biosynthetic enzyme genes resulted in two-to three-fold increase in the ascorbate content of the transgenic plants.