Br. Thakur et al., EFFECT OF AN ANTISENSE PECTIN METHYLESTERASE GENE ON THE CHEMISTRY OFPECTIN IN TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON-ESCULENTUM) JUICE, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 44(2), 1996, pp. 628-630
Pectins in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) juice processed from trans
genic fruits with reduced levels of pectin methylesterase activity and
from control fruits were characterized for total uronic acid, degree
of methoxylation (DOM), and molecular mass. The molecular weights of p
ectins isolated from transgenic fruit juice are much higher than the m
olecular weights of pectins isolated from control fruit juice under al
l processing conditions. Depending on processing conditions, juice fro
m transgenic fruits contained 30-50% higher amounts of total uronic ac
ids and had 25-250% higher DOM compared to juice from control fruits.