Newly Discovered Protein Responsible for Regulating the Production of Red Pigment in Strawberries Identified by Researchers

A research group at the University of Cordoba characterized a new transcription factor that regulates, during the ripening of strawberries, the production of anthocyanins responsible for giving them their red hue.

The strawberry is a fruit that stands out for its color, aroma, flavor and texture. These aspects—known as organoleptic properties, which determine their quality and the preferences of their potential consumers, and of the insects that disperse the seeds, favoring the subsequent growth of future plants—occur in the strawberry’s ripening process.

The Biotechnology and Plant Pharmacognosy research group at the University of Cordoba, under the direction of Juan Muñoz Blanco, has been studying the genetic regulation of strawberry ripening for several years, and has now taken a further step in their understanding of this key process by identifying a new protein involved in the control of the production of the fruit’s red color. It is known as a transcription factor protein (FaMYB123), which is responsible for activating or suppressing the expression of other genes.

According to the study, which is part of the doctoral thesis of Félix J. Martínez-Rivas, a researcher trained at the UCO, was published in The Plant Journal. This transcription factor is mainly responsible for the production of anthocyanins, the pigments that, in the case of strawberries, give them their characteristic red color.