Biotechnology and Secondary Metabolism of Bilberry and Lingonberry

Regulation of Bilberry Fruit Development and Ripening

Dr. Laura Jaakola

Department of Biology, University of Oulu

P.O.B. 3000

FIN-90014 Finland

laura.jaakola(at)oulu.fi

Bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and lingonberry (V. vitis-idaea L.) belong to the genus Vaccinium, which is widespread over the world with over 200 species of evergreen and deciduous woody plants varying from dwarf shrubs to trees. The genus Vaccinium includes many economically important cultivated small fruit species, like blueberries and cranberries. Bilberry grows in the area of Europe and Asia, most abundantly in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and at higher elevations in Southern Europe. Bilberry and lingonberry are the most significant wild berries in Northern Europe. The fruits and leaves of these small fruits are rich with phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, whose bioactive properties have received notable attention in recent years.

Our research concerns developing and optimising research methods for biotechnological and molecular biological studies on bilberry and lingonberry. Those methods are applicable related plant material rich in secondary metabolites (Jaakola et al. 2001a, 2001b,2001c, 2004a, Vuosku et al. 2004, Jaakola et al. 2010b).

We have clarified the biosynthesis of flavonoids during the fruit development of bilberry in wild type and natural colour mutants of bilberry (Jaakola et al. 2002). Our work described the isolation and characterization of fragments of five flavonoid pathway genes from bilberry. In addition, we analysed the qualitative and quantitative composition of flavonoids and the expression of related flavonoid biosynthetic genes during the fruit development of bilberry.

Furthermore, we have clarified the effect of environmental variables on flavonoid metabolism (Jaakola et al. 2004b, Jaakola & Hohtola 2010, Martz et al. 2010, Åkerström et al. 2010).

Our ongoing research project focuses on regulatory processes involved in bilberry fruit development and ripening. We have characterised a SQUAMOSA-class MADS box transcription factor, VmTDR4, associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis in bilberry (2010a).

The project is also related with the Nordic Bilberry project.

Publications on this topic:

Lätti A.K., Riihinen K.R., Jaakola L. (2011) Phenolic compounds in berries and flowers of a natural hybrid between bilberry and lingonberry (Vaccinium x intermedium Ruthe). Phytochemistry, 72:810-815.

Åkerstöm A, Jaakola L., Bång U., Jäderlund A. (2010) Effects of latitude-related factors and geographical origin on anthocyanidin concentrations in fruits of Vaccinium myrtillus L. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 58:11939-11945.

Jaakola L., Poole M, Jones M., Kämäräinen-Karppinen T., Koskimäki J.J., Hohtola A., Häggman H., Fraser P., Manning K., King G.J. Thomson H., and Graham B. Seymour. (2010a) A SQUAMOSA MADS-box gene involved in the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation in bilberry fruits. Plant Physiology, 153:1619-1629.

Martz F., Jaakola L., Julkunen-Tiitto R. and Stark S. (2010) Phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) leaves in northern Europe following foliar development and along environmental gradients. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 36:1017-1028.

Jaakola L. and Hohtola A. (2010) The effect of latitude on flavonoid biosynthesis in plants. Plant, Cell and Environment. 33:1239-1247.

Jaakola L., Suokas M., and HäggmanH. (2010b) Novel approaches based on DNA barcoding and high-resolution melting of amplicons for authenticity analyses of berry species. Food Chemistry, 123:494-500.

Lätti A.K., Jaakola L., Riihinen K.R. and Kainulainen P.S. (2010) Anthocyanins and flavonols in the berries of bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) from fifteen wild populations in Finland Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58:427-433.

Hokkanen J., Mattila S., Jaakola L., Pirttilä A.M., and Tolonen A. (2009) Identification of phenolic compounds from lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), bilberry (V. myrtillus L.) and hybrid bilberry (V. x intermedium Ruthe) leaves. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 52:9437-9447.

Koskimäki, J. J., Hokkanen, J., Jaakola, L., Tolonen A., Mattila S., Pirttilä, A.M. and Hohtola, A.(2009) Flavonoid metabolism in defense of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) against endophyte and pathogen infection. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 125:629-640.

Jaakola L., Riihinen K., Häggman H. and Hohtola A. (2009) Bilberry, in vitro protocols and analyses of phenolic compounds. Mohan Jain & Saxena, PK (Eds) ”Protocols for in vitro cultures and secondary metabolite analysis of aromatic and medicinal plants”. The Humana Press, Inc., Springer. P. 71-80.

Pehkonen T., Koskimäki J., Riihinen K., Pirttilä A. M., Hohtola A., Jaakola L. & Tolvanen A. (2008) Artificial infection of Vaccinium vitis-idea L. and defence responses to exobasidium species. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 72:146-150.

Riihinen K., Jaakola L., Kärenlampi S. & Hohtola A. (2008) Organ-specific Distribution of Phenolic Compounds in Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and 'Northblue' Blueberry (V. corymbosum x V. angustifolium). Food Chemistry 110:156-160.

Jaakola L., Koskimäki J.J., Riihinen K., Tolvanen A. & Hohtola A. (2008) Effect of artificial wounding on expression of chalcone synthase and pathogenesis related PR10 gene, and on the content of phenolic compounds in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) leaves. Biologia Plantarum 52:391-395.

Jaakola L., Pirttilä A.M. Vuosku J. & Hohtola A. (2004a) A method based on electrophoresis and gel extraction for obtaining genomic DNA-free cDNA without DNase treatment. BioTechniques. 37:744-748.

Jaakola L., Määttä-Riihinen K., Kärenlampi, S. & Hohtola A. (2004b) Activation of flavonoid biosynthesis by solar radiation in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) leaves. Planta 218:721-728.

Vuosku J., Jaakola L., Jokipii S., Karppinen K., Kämäräinen T., Pelkonen V.-P., Jokela A., Sarjala T., Hohtola A. & Häggman H. (2004) Does extraction of DNA and RNA by magnetic fishing work for diverse plant species? Mol. Biotechnol. 27:209-216.

Jaakola L., Määttä K., Pirttilä A. M., Törrönen R., Kärenlampi S. & Hohtola A. (2002) Expression of genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in relation to anthocyanin, proanthocyanidin, and flavonol levels during bilberry fruit development. Plant Physiology 130:729-739.

Jaakola L., Pirttilä A. M. & Hohtola A. (2001c) cDNA blotting offers an alternative method for gene expression studies. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. 19:125-128.

Jaakola L., Pirttilä A. M., Halonen M. & Hohtola A. (2001b) Isolation of high quality RNA from bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruit. Mol. Biotechnol. 19: 201-203.

Jaakola L., Tolvanen A., Laine K. & Hohtola A. (2001a) Effect of N6-isopentenyladenine concentration on growth initiation in vitro and rooting of bilberry and lingonberry microshoots. Plant Cell Tiss. Org. Cult. 66: 73-77.

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