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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/2008 Publication Date: 8/21/2008 Citation: Rudell Jr, D.R. 2008. Holistic Approaches to Understanding Fruit Metabolism using Metabolomics. Meeting Abstract. N/A. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Interpreting fruit metabolism, especially tree fruit, presents unique challenges. Long periods from tree establishment to fruiting render techniques directed towards reducing the complexity of metabolic mechanisms, such as genomic modification, relatively difficult. Consequently, holistic integrated genomics-based approaches have become attractive alternatives. Given the evident significance of gene-function and allosteric regulation by metabolites, comprehensive metabolic profiling or “metabolomics” is a necessary, integral facet of “omics” approaches. With an estimated 15,000 unique metabolites in a single plant species, metabolomics presents unique analytical challenges resulting from the extensive diversity of metabolite concentration, stability, polarity, solubility, and other physical properties. Instrument analysis and data extraction and evaluation techniques are, likewise, demanding. Nonetheless, comprehensive metabolic profiling can be used to reveal metabolic mechanisms, develop diagnostic biomarkers, and select markers to be employed for more informed breeding decisions. |
