Identification and characterization of CYP71 subclade cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bitterness compounds in Cichorium intybus.

ABSTRACT: Industrial chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) and witloof (C. intybus var. foliosum) are crops with an important economic value, mainly cultivated for inulin production and as a leafy vegetable, respectively. Both crops are rich in nutritionally relevant specialized metabolites with beneficial effects for human health. However, their bitter taste, caused by the sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) produced in leaves and taproot, limits wider applications in the food industry. Changing the bitterness would thus create new opportunities with a great economic impact. Known genes encoding enzymes involved in the SL biosynthetic pathway are GERMACRENE A SYNTHASE (GAS), GERMACRENE A OXIDASE (GAO), COSTUNOLIDE SYNTHASE (COS) and KAUNIOLIDE SYNTHASE (

SUBMITTER: De Bruyn C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10324620 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature