مجله علوم و صنایع غذایی ایران

مجله علوم و صنایع غذایی ایران

Gene Expression Profiling of Glycoalkaloid Biosynthesis in Potato Tubers in Response to Post-Harvest Storage Stress

نوع مقاله : مروری تحلیلی

نویسندگان
Enas Enas
Rafea Zaidan Mukhlif Al_Sugmany
Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Tikrit
10.48311/fsct.2026.117818.82945
چکیده
This study investigated the impact of post-harvest storage conditions on the biosynthesis of the toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs), α-solanine and α-chaconine, in three potato cultivars (Arizona, Burren, and Lady Rosetta). Tubers were stored for 20 days under three regimes: optimal refrigeration (4°C), continuous light, and complete darkness. A combined molecular and chemical analysis was subsequently performed. Gene expression levels of key SGA biosynthetic genes (Hmg1, Pss1, Sgt1, Sgt2, Sgt3) were quantified using RT-qPCR, while SGA accumulation was measured via HPLC. The results demonstrated that storage environment profoundly influenced both transcriptional activity and metabolite levels. Refrigeration at 4°C effectively suppressed the expression of all five biosynthetic genes, resulting in negligible SGA concentrations across all cultivars. In stark contrast, light exposure acted as a powerful inducer, triggering significant gene upregulation and a substantial accumulation of SGAs, with α-solanine concentrations increasing over tenfold. Interestingly, dark storage also induced gene expression and SGA accumulation to levels markedly higher than refrigeration, though generally lower than light storage, identifying darkness as a sub-optimal stressor. This study conclusively demonstrates that improper storage induces glycoalkaloid biosynthesis at the transcriptional level. It confirms refrigeration as the only tested method that mitigates this health risk by maintaining low biosynthetic gene expression, thereby preserving tuber chemical safety and underscoring the critical importance of post-harvest management in the potato supply chain.
کلیدواژه‌ها
Potato
Solanine
Solanum tuberosum
glycoalkaloids
post-harvest pathology
food safety
biosynthetic genes

موضوعات

عنوان مقاله English

Gene Expression Profiling of Glycoalkaloid Biosynthesis in Potato Tubers in Response to Post-Harvest Storage Stress

نویسندگان English

Ibrahim Khalil Ibrahim Khalil
Rafea Zaidan Mukhlif Al_Sugmany
Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Tikrit
چکیده English

This study investigated the impact of post-harvest storage conditions on the biosynthesis of the toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs), α-solanine and α-chaconine, in three potato cultivars (Arizona, Burren, and Lady Rosetta). Tubers were stored for 20 days under three regimes: optimal refrigeration (4°C), continuous light, and complete darkness. A combined molecular and chemical analysis was subsequently performed. Gene expression levels of key SGA biosynthetic genes (Hmg1, Pss1, Sgt1, Sgt2, Sgt3) were quantified using RT-qPCR, while SGA accumulation was measured via HPLC. The results demonstrated that storage environment profoundly influenced both transcriptional activity and metabolite levels. Refrigeration at 4°C effectively suppressed the expression of all five biosynthetic genes, resulting in negligible SGA concentrations across all cultivars. In stark contrast, light exposure acted as a powerful inducer, triggering significant gene upregulation and a substantial accumulation of SGAs, with α-solanine concentrations increasing over tenfold. Interestingly, dark storage also induced gene expression and SGA accumulation to levels markedly higher than refrigeration, though generally lower than light storage, identifying darkness as a sub-optimal stressor. This study conclusively demonstrates that improper storage induces glycoalkaloid biosynthesis at the transcriptional level. It confirms refrigeration as the only tested method that mitigates this health risk by maintaining low biosynthetic gene expression, thereby preserving tuber chemical safety and underscoring the critical importance of post-harvest management in the potato supply chain.

کلیدواژه‌ها English

Potato
Solanine
Solanum tuberosum
glycoalkaloids
post-harvest pathology
food safety
biosynthetic genes
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