Robert Verpoorte – författare

The economic value of cut flowers is considerable. Because novelty is a driving force in this section of horticulture, the development of new flower varieties is of great interest. In this connection new colours are particularly important. Classical plant breeding has been able to produce a broad variety of colours and forms for flowers but with the tools for genetic engineering available, a new era for cut flower plant breeding has dawned. The present study reviews the various aspects connected with the molecular engineering of flower colours. The results achieved so far, bottlenecks and possible approaches in altering flower colours are discussed. The methods available for genetic modification of plants are briefly reviewed. The study concentrates on the anthocyanins. The biosynthetic pathway leading to these compounds is extensively described, as well as knowledge of its regulation at molecular level. The genes involved in the regulation are reviewed. The colours connected with the individual compounds are considered, as is the influence of chemical modifications of anthocyanins, such as acylation of sugar residues.However, flower colour is not only determined by the anthocyanins present: co-pigmentation also plays an important role in stabilizing and altering colours. Compounds involved in co-pigmentation and other conditions involved (such as pH) are discussed, as well the mechanisms behind this phenomenon. The study includes an extensive literature search on the constituents of the pigments of the major cut flowers. Tables are given in which the constituents of the major cut flowers are summarized. More than 600 references are cited. Based on present knowledge, the strategy of engineering a certain colour in a specific species can be developed. Possible approaches for genetic engineering are discussed for the major colours.

Since 1984 and 1988, when meetings were held on the topic of primary and secondary metabolism of plant cell cultures, there has been a clear shift of the focus of ongoing research. While the cell culture itself and the production of secondary metabolites and the biosynthetic pathways and the activity of enzymes were major topics, now these aspects are linked with genes, i.e. molecular biology becomes more prominent. This book has contributions on such subjects as fermentation, enzymology of secondary metabolism, catabolism of secondary metabolites, elicitation of pathways and genetic modification of metabolic pathways. It includes contributions on the most recent achievements in the research on among other things tropane and indole alkaloids, phenolics, (iso)flavonoids, terpenes and cardenolides. It should be a useful review of the progress made in the past years and a perspective on the future developments.