Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Molecular cloning and characterization of UDP-glucose: furaneol glucosyltransferase gene from Japanese

Molecular cloning and characterization of UDP-glucose: furaneol glucosyltransferase gene from Japanese

Abstract

2,5-Dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (furaneol) is an important aroma compound in fruits, such as pineapple and strawberry, and is reported to contribute to the strawberry-like note in some wines. Several grapevine species are used in winemaking, and furaneol is one of the characteristic aroma compounds in wines made from American grape (Vitis labrusca) and its hybrid grape, similar to methyl anthranilate. Muscat Bailey A is a hybrid grape variety [V. labrusca (Bailey) x V. vinifera (Muscat Hamburg)], and its wine is one of the most popular in Japan. The inclusion of Muscat Bailey A in the ‘International List of Vine and Varieties and their Synonyms’ managed by the ‘International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV)’ in 2013 has further fueled its popularity among winemakers and researchers worldwide. Most Muscat Bailey A wines have unique characters, such as a light mouth feel which is derived from the low concentration of proanthocyanidins (1). In addition, Muscat Bailey A grapes also biosynthesize and accumulate furaneol, suggesting that furaneol might be essential for the characteristic flavor of this wine (2). The previous study identified furaneol glucoside from the juice of Muscat Bailey A, using high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and this was followed by its isolation from some fruits such as strawberry and tomato (3). Furaneol glucoside is a significant ‘aroma precursor of wine’ because furaneol is liberated from it during alcoholic fermentation. In this study, we have identified a glucosyltransferase gene from Muscat Bailey A (UGT85K14), which is responsible for the glucosylation of furaneol (4). Recombinant UGT85K14 expressed in Escherichia coli is able to transfer a glucose moiety from UDP-glucose to the hydroxy group of furaneol, indicating that this gene might be UDP-glucose: furaneol glucosyltransferase in Muscat Bailey A. Furaneol glucoside content in Muscat Bailey A berry during maturation might be controlled by the expression of UGT85K14 along with the biosynthesis of furaneol. On the other hand, UGT85K14 was expressed in the representative grape cultivars regardless of species. In addition to Muscat Bailey A, the corresponding genes from Pinot Noir (V. vinifera) and Concord (V. labrusca) have been identified and characterized. Sequence analysis and the characterization of recombinant proteins demonstrated that furaneol glucoside content was regulated by the biosynthesis of furaneol in grape species (V. vinifera and V. labrusca), and both species might have evolved and diverged after the molecular evolution of this gene.

References
1. Ichikawa, M. et al. (2011) Food Sci. Technol. Res. 17, 335-339. 2. Kobayashi, H. et al. (2013) Vitis 52, 9-11. 3. Sasaki, K. et al. (2015) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 66, 91-94. 4. Sasaki, K. et al. (2015) J. Exp. Bot. 66, 6167-6174.

Publication date: May 17, 2024

Issue: Macrowine 2016

Type: Poster

Authors

Kanako Sasaki*, Gen Ikoma, Hideki Takase, Hironori Kobayashi, Hironori Matsuo, Ryoji Takata

*Research Laboratories for Wine

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Macrowine | Macrowine 2016

Citation

Related articles…

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with Tof-MS, a powerful tool for analysis of the volatomes of grapes and wines

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) has emerged as a powerful analytical technique for unraveling the volatile composition of complex matrices. This work will present three applications of GCxGC Tof-MS to the oenological field, aimed to identify novel biomarkers to be used in the quality control process of the wine industry. Comprehensive mapping of volatile compounds was conducted in a large sample of 70 sparkling wines, produced by 48 different wineries across 6 vintages and representative of the two main production areas for premium Italian sparkling wines (Franciacorta (FC) and Trentodoc (TN)), using HS-SPME followed by GCxGC-Tof-MS and multivariate analysis. Selection and identification of 196 putative biomarkers allowed clear separation of sparkling wines from FC and TN.

Effects of a new vacuum evaporation method on chemical and sensory properties of must and wine

A new process for vacuum evaporation was developed where evaporation takes place near the inner surface of a vortex produced by a rotor submerged in the liquid. Contrary to the state of the art the Vortex rotor process does not need a vacuum vessel but the rotating liquid creates a geometrically stable low pressure void surrounded by a vortex stabilized by the equilibrium between centrifugal forces and the pressure difference. First tests with water and sugar solutions at concentrations similar to grape must were conducted to verify the theoretical predictions, test the performance under different conditions and study the effect of various process parameters (Rösti et al 2015).

Bentonite fining in cold wines: prediction tests, reduced efficiency and possibilities to avoid additional fining treatments

Bentonite fining is widely used to prevent protein haze in white wines. Most wineries use laboratory-scale fining trials to define the appropriate amount of bentonite to be used in the cellar. Those pre-tests need to mimic as much as possible the industrial scale fining procedure to determine the exact amount of bentonite necessary for protein stability. Nevertheless it is frequent that, after fining with the recommended amount of bentonite, wines appear still unstable and need an additional fining treatment. It remains a major challenge to understand why the same wine, fined with the same dosage of the same bentonite, achieves stability in the lab, but not in the cellar.

Effect of non-Saccharomyces yeast and lactic acid bacteria on selected sensory attributes and polyphenols of Syrah wines

Consumers predominantly use visual, aromatic and texture cues as quality/preference indicators to describe olfactory sensations. In this study, the effect of micro-organism in wine production was investigated using analytical and sensory techniques to achieve relevant analytical characterisation. Selected anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, flavonols and phenolic acids were quantified in Syrah wines using RP-HPLC-DAD. Standard oenological parameters were also measured. Syrah grape must was fermented with various combinations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) and non-Saccharomyces (Metschnikowia pulcherrima or Hanseniaspora uvarum) yeasts, which was followed by sequential inoculation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Oenococcus oeni or Lactobacillus plantarum).

The effect of cropload on the volatile aroma characteristics of ‘Beihong’ and ‘Beimei’ red wine

Beihong and Beimei were bred as winemaking cultivars released by Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2008. The cultivars are selected from the population of ‘Muscat Hamburg’ (Vitis vinifera) ×V. amurensis. They are extended to most provinces in North of China because they have strong resistance to cold and disease and need not be buried in soil in winter. To better understand the effect of cropload on volatile compounds during wine-making, we surveyed volatiles composition and content of different cropload level in 3-years-old ‘Beihong’ and ‘Beimei’ vines which planted in east foot of Helan mountain of Ningxia (EHN).