Increasing lifespan in carrots: determining the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that underpin the blackening phenomenon in cut carrots

延长胡萝卜的寿命：确定导致切好的胡萝卜变黑现象的分子和代谢机制

• 批准号: 1947433
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Leeds
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2017 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-1947433
• 关键词: Increasing; lifespan; carrots; determining; molecular

The project is focussed on carrots, which are the major UK root vegetable crop, with over 700,000 tons produced every year. Twenty two billion carrot seeds are planted every year, producing around 100 carrots per year per person in the UK. The crop covers about 9,000 hectares of farmland, having a sales value of over £290 million. Freshly harvested carrots are distributed to shops throughout Britain on almost every day of the year. Hence, carrots are harvested in the UK over almost 12 months of the year using a range of different techniques. However, serious problems arise with cut products from carrots harvested in later months of the year. In particular, the shelf life of carrot strips is very short because they have a tenancy to turn black.This project seeks to find a solution to this financially serious problem to the industry by determining the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that underpin the blackening phenomenon in cut carrots. We will achieve this goal by firstly by characterizing the profiles of metabolites, pigments and antioxidants in carrots harvested from the field over the 12 month period and link this to susceptibility to blackening after cutting.Secondly, we will also characterize the metabolite and transcript profiles that accompany the blackening process in cut carrots, determining in particular if this is linked to the production of reactive oxygen species, secondary metabolites and programmed cell death. Thirdly, we will determine whether these processes also occur or can be induced in carrot cells growing in culture. If this is the case, the cell culture system will be used to analyse compounds that have the potential to delay blackening.Fourthly, we will develop molecular and protein markers for carrot senescence and a pre-disposition to blackening. We will determine whether these markers can be used to predict susceptibility to blackening. Finally, we will determine the role of phytohormones and environmental effectors that influence the senescence of harvested carrots and identify factors/processes by which the susceptibility to blackening can be decreased.

该项目的重点是胡萝卜，这是英国主要的根菜作物，每年生产超过70万吨。每年种植220亿粒胡萝卜种子，在英国每人每年生产约100粒胡萝卜。该作物覆盖约9，000公顷农田，销售价值超过2.9亿英镑。几乎一年中的每一天，新鲜收获的胡萝卜都被分发到英国各地的商店。因此，在英国，胡萝卜在一年中的近12个月内使用一系列不同的技术收获。然而，严重的问题出现了削减产品从胡萝卜收获在今年晚些时候。特别是，胡萝卜条的保质期很短，因为它们有变黑的倾向。本项目旨在通过确定胡萝卜条变黑现象的分子和代谢机制，为这一严重的经济问题找到解决方案。为了实现这一目标，我们首先将通过表征12个月期间从田间收获的胡萝卜中的代谢物、色素和抗氧化剂的概况，并将其与切割后变黑的易感性联系起来。其次，我们还将表征切割胡萝卜中伴随变黑过程的代谢物和转录物概况，特别是确定这是否与活性氧的产生有关，次级代谢产物和程序性细胞死亡。第三，我们将确定这些过程是否也发生或可以在培养中生长的胡萝卜细胞中诱导。如果是这样的话，细胞培养系统将被用来分析有可能延缓变黑的化合物。第四，我们将开发胡萝卜衰老和变黑倾向的分子和蛋白质标记。我们将确定这些标记物是否可用于预测变黑的易感性。最后，我们将确定影响收获的胡萝卜衰老的植物激素和环境效应物的作用，并确定因素/过程，通过这些因素/过程可以降低对变黑的敏感性。