Metabolomics and Molecular Analysis of Phytonutrient Content in Fruits and Vegetables

Dear Colleagues,

Phytonutrients present in fruits and vegetables provide color and taste and thus serve as a principal determinant of their quality. These compounds are also implicated in maintaining the normal functions of the human body and are therefore often referred to as functional metabolites. Some of the most important bioactive phytonutrients include carotenoids, flavonoids, resveratrol, glucosinolates and tocoperols that possess pharmacological effects such as anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-aging.

Outstanding advances made in in the recent three decades in molecular biology, molecular genetics, targeted as well as non-targeted metabolomics have substantially expanded our understanding as to how these phytonutrients accumulate in fruits and vegetables. This understanding led to the development of approaches designed to increase levels of specific phytonutrients and/or modulate their profile.

Despite the large amount of the rapidly accumulating information, there are still questions and challenges that remaine open in this important field. For example, how to mitagate negative effects of increased fruit phytonutrient content on plant development, gaining a full understanding of the regulation of gene expression in some biosynthetic patways and networks associated with the accomulation of phytonutrients and more.

In this Special Issue, articles (original research papers, perspectives, hypotheses, opinions, reviews, new techniques) that focus on metabolomics, molecular and genetic analysis of fruit and vegetable phytonutrient accumulation and its regulation are most welcome. These may include biochemistry, physiology, genes, proteins, metabolites, and environmental effects, at all levels, comprising transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and epigenome studies of dehiscent and fleshy fruit in model plants, crop plants, fruit trees and native plant species.

Dr. Ilan Levin
Guest Editor

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• phytonutrients
• fruit quality
• metabolomics
• genetics
• molecular biology