Genotype and Maturity Stage Affect the Content and Composition of Polyamines in Tomato—Possible Relations to Plant and Human Health

Evelyn E Villanueva Gutierrez,Alberto Centellas Quezada,Karl-Erik Gustavsson,Marie E Olsson,Eva Johansson

doi:10.3390/horticulturae7090300

Evelyn E Villanueva Gutierrez, Alberto Centellas Quezada + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7090300

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Abstract

Polyamines (PAs) are molecules affecting several physiological characteristics in all living organisms with cell protective effects, thereby impacting plant and human health. Here, we used HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS to evaluate the content and composition of PAs in eight tomato genotypes over their maturation period, and related the content and composition to other quality traits and possible implications for plant and human health. The tomato genotype, maturity stage and their interactions, significantly affected the content and composition of PAs. Two of the genotypes, ‘Huichol’ and ‘Rio Grande’ showed consistently lower levels of PAs than the other evaluated genotypes. The variation in content and composition of PAs among genotypes was found to vary inconsistently over the maturation period. Putrescine content in the different genotypes either did not vary significantly, increased, or showed the lowest level in the middle of the maturation period, while spermidine content decreased or did not show significant variation. The genotypes ‘HT36’ and ‘HT25’ showed high levels of PAs during red and green maturity stages, respectively, and can thereby be seen as suitable health promoting red and green candidate tomatoes. Depiction of variation of the PAs creates opportunities for breeding and production of health promoting tomato as a food or food additive.

Highlights

Polyamines (PAs) are low molecular weight aliphatic, nitrogen rich, hydrocarbon molecules that form polymers containing one or more amino group (NH2 ) [1,2].PAs are universally present in all living organisms, including all types of plants, and the naturally abundant PAs (putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm)) are the most common [3,4]
The level of the impact from the genotype is related to the type of quality characteristic evaluated and how broad a genetic variation is included in the selection of the plant material analyzed [62]
The tomatoes evaluated in the present study generally showed high levels of polyamines, especially of Put and spermidine synthase (Spds), as compared to values reported in most other studies (Table S3)

Summary

Introduction

PAs are universally present in all living organisms, including all types of plants, and the naturally abundant PAs (putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm)) are the most common [3,4]. PAs are involved in functions such as cell growth, gene regulation, and differentiation [5]. Biosynthesis or catalysis of PAs have been related to growth, flowering, and stress signaling [6]. During fruit development in tomato, transcripts of PAs biosynthesis genes have been localized in fast growing tissues, and it has been suggested that the seed is a site of intense PA synthesis [7]. Put is the precursor of Spd, which in turn is the precursor of Spm [6]. Several studies have indicated the content of free and conjugated

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