Research Projects

Tomato (solanum lycopersicum), a vegetable species from solanaceae, grown as annual crop, is a model plant for studying climacteric fruit ripening. According to FAO statistics, India ranks third in tomato production after China and United states of America. Tomato fruit is a promising source of several nutrients such as vitamins C, A, E and secondary metabolites such as carotenoids, flavonoids and other phenolic compounds which are essential antioxidant compounds. Considering the commercial importance and because of the growing awareness of consumers for improved health benefits from vegetables, increased attempts have been made to enhance nutritional quality of tomato fruits through breeding or genetic engineering approaches. With the completion of the tomato genome sequencing almost a decade ago in 2012 by an international consortium, more than 90% of the genes in tomato cultivar, Heinz 1706 were identified. Now, the major challenge lies in building a comprehensive functional genomics map based on phenotype, gene expression data, information on protein function, localization, post transcriptional and post translational modifications along with information on metabolite synthesis and accumulation. This can be achieved by a systems biology approach linking metabolite profiles with proteome data. since proteome is a functional representation of genome, proteome profiling studies would provide a rational link between transcriptome and metabolome. In the present study, a proteomics approach would be used to obtain a detailed insight on anthocyanin accumulation in high anthocyanin mutant Aubergine (Abg). The key regulatory proteins associated with anthocyanin metabolism would be identified and correlated with the corresponding metabolite data. This knowledge will further aid in understanding the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation for enhancing nutraceutical properties of tomato fruits.