Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36315067›Full record

ArticlePlant physiology2023

A family of methyl esterases converts methyl salicylate to salicylic acid in ripening tomato fruit.

Elizabeth M Frick, Manoj Sapkota, Lara Pereira, Yanbing Wang, Anna Hermanns, James J Giovannoni, Esther van der Knaap, Denise M Tieman, Harry J Klee

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Plant physiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Elizabeth M FrickHorticultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1889-4885
Manoj SapkotaInstitute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9987-1193
Lara PereiraInstitute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5184-8587
Yanbing WangInstitute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9064-8104
Anna HermannsSection of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8621-029X
James J GiovannoniUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service and Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University campus, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0972-2515
Esther van der KnaapInstitute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4963-7427
Denise M TiemanHorticultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0259-2583
Harry J KleeHorticultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3823-4518
University of Georgia · USUniversity of Florida · USCornell University · USUnited States Department of Agriculture · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Methyl salicylate imparts a potent flavor and aroma described as medicinal and wintergreen that is undesirable in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit. Plants control the quantities of methyl salicylate through a variety of biosynthetic pathways, including the methylation of salicylic acid to form methyl salicylate and subsequent glycosylation to prevent methyl salicylate emission. Here, we identified a subclade of tomato methyl esterases, SALICYLIC ACID METHYL ESTERASE1-4, responsible for demethylation of methyl salicylate to form salicylic acid in fruits. This family was identified by proximity to a highly significant methyl salicylate genome-wide association study locus on chromosome 2. Genetic mapping studies in a biparental population confirmed a major methyl salicylate locus on chromosome 2. Fruits from SlMES1 knockout lines emitted significantly (P < 0,05, t test) higher amounts of methyl salicylate than wild-type fruits. Double and triple mutants of SlMES2, SlMES3, and SlMES4 emitted even more methyl salicylate than SlMES1 single knockouts-but not at statistically distinguishable levels-compared to the single mutant. Heterologously expressed SlMES1 and SlMES3 acted on methyl salicylate in vitro, with SlMES1 having a higher affinity for methyl salicylate than SlMES3. The SlMES locus has undergone major rearrangement, as demonstrated by genome structure analysis in the parents of the biparental population. Analysis of accessions that produce high or low levels of methyl salicylate showed that SlMES1 and SlMES3 genes expressed the highest in the low methyl salicylate lines. None of the MES genes were appreciably expressed in the high methyl salicylate-producing lines. We concluded that the SlMES gene family encodes tomato methyl esterases that convert methyl salicylate to salicylic acid in ripe tomato fruit. Their ability to decrease methyl salicylate levels by conversion to salicylic acid is an attractive breeding target to lower the level of a negative contributor to flavor.

Indexed as

Salicylic AcidSolanum lycopersicumFruitGenome-Wide Association StudyPlant BreedingPlant ProteinsSalicylatesmethyl salicylatePlant ProteinsSalicylatesSalicylic Acid

Identifiers

PMID36315067
PMCPMC9806648
OpenAlexW4307741139

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.