FROM GENES TO COLORS: MYB1-LIKE VARIABILITY IN ROMANIAN APPLE VARIETIES

Abstract

One of the fruit quality traits taken into consideration by consumers is color, since it indicates fruit ripeness, taste, and provides information about potential health benefits. Apple fruits come in a variety of colors, from green to yellow, pink, red, purple, or combinations of these colors. The pigments responsible for these colors are chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. The red and purple colors are a result of anthocyanins accumulation in vacuole, due to both genetic and environmental factors. One of the genes responsible for regulating the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes is MYB1, which encodes a nuclear protein that controls anthocyanins accumulation in apples.  This study presents the genetic variability at the level of a MYB1-like gene in eight Romanian apple varieties: ‘Crețesc’, ‘Generos’, ‘Domnesc’, ‘Romus 3’, ‘Valery’, ‘Remar’, ‘Rebra’, and ‘Rustic’, identifying the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) present in a MYB1-like gene. Understanding the relationship between gene sequence, which translates into protein structure, and fruit color is important for apple breeding programs, to develop novel varieties with specific fruit colors.