FLAVONOID BIOSYNTHESIS IN RESVERATROL PRODUCING TOMATOES RESULTING FROM THE ETHEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION OF THE GRAPE WINE STILBENE SYNTHASE GENE

Increasing evidences suggest that flavonoids are potentially health protecting components in thè human diet as a results of their high antioxidant capacity. In particular polyphenolic secondary metabolites, such as flavonols and stilbenes, possess a high antioxidant activity, imporlant both for plant physiology and human nutrition. Tornato fruit contains only small amounts of flavonoids, and do not produce any stilbenes. With thè aim of generating plants and fruits with increased antioxidant capacity and a wider range of potential health benefits, thè tornato flavonoid route was modified through thè over-expression of thè grape stilbene synthase cDNA in constitutive or tissue specific manner. The stilbenes found in transgenic plants are mainly present as conjugates, as they naturally occurs in plants. Polyphenol analysis (chlorogenic acid, rutili, quercetin, naringenin, etc.) was carried out on whole, flesh and skin of red transgenic fruit. The profile of metabolites analysed both in constitutive and tissue specific fmit did not evidenced significant differences.