IDENTIFYING GENES THAT REGULATE HORTICULTURAL TRAITS IN KIWIFRUIT

In order to exploit the diversity within kiwifruit germplasm, we have chosen to focus on genes that coordinate expression. These regulatory genes are called transcription factors (TFs) and are DNA binding proteins that initiate and control the level of mRNA transcription. Transcription factors coordinate complex biochemical processes, and we have identified, through sequence homology to the transcription factors from the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, the full length genes present in our kiwifruit sequence database. To complement the collection of cloned regulatory genes, we have developed a functional test to identify candidate TFs that initiate transcription of genes involved in the processes of interest to HortResearch; in kiwifruit, these include input traits such as budbreak and output traits of health, taste and convenience.