Tomatine Content in Host and Transgenic Tomatoes by Absorptiometric Measurement

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biochemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Tomatine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid found in tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum).
• It serves as a safety indicator for transgenic tomatoes evaluated by the FDA.
• Assessing tomatine content is crucial for understanding the safety and characteristics of genetically modified tomatoes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and facile method for absorptiometric measurement of tomatine content.
• To quantify and compare tomatine levels in transgenic (anti-PG) and non-transgenic tomato fruits.
• To evaluate the safety implications of genetic modification on tomatine accumulation in tomatoes.

Main Methods:

• Development of a facile and rapid absorptiometric assay for tomatine quantification.
• Measurement of tomatine content in fruits of a transgenic tomato cultivar (Lycopersicon esculentum) with an antisense polygalacturonase gene (anti-PG).
• Comparative analysis of tomatine levels between transgenic and non-transgenic tomatoes, including commercial cultivars like 'KAGOME 77' and 'KAGOME 88'.

Main Results:

• A simple and quick absorptiometric method for measuring tomatine was successfully developed.
• Tomatine content in the fruits of transgenic tomatoes (anti-PG) was found to be very similar to that of non-transgenic tomatoes.
• Comparative data indicated consistent tomatine levels across different cultivars, suggesting genetic modification did not significantly alter this glycoalkaloid.

Conclusions:

• The developed absorptiometric method provides a reliable way to measure tomatine content in tomatoes.
• Transgenic tomatoes containing an antisense polygalacturonase gene exhibit comparable tomatine levels to their non-transgenic counterparts.
• These findings support the safety assessment of transgenic tomatoes, as tomatine accumulation remains consistent regardless of the introduced gene.