Evaluation of the polymorphism of Atroviolaceae tomato gene orthologs in nightshade crops (Capsicum, Melongena genera) to develop molecular markers associated with anthocyanin accumulation in plants

This paper presents study results on the polymorphism of Atroviolacea (ATV) Solanum lycopersicum gene orthologs in pepper (genus Capsicum) and eggplant (S. melongena), as well as the developments in molecular markers associated with anthocyanin accumulation in various parts of these crops, whose fruits, along with tomatoes, constitute important vegetable products for functional nutrition. Based on sequencing of homologous genes (ETC3-1 and ETC3-2 MYB-like transcription factor (TF) ETC3 in pepper, and SmeATV MYB-like TF in eggplant) in accessions with varying levels of anthocyanin accumulation in vegetative organs and fruits, alleles leading to the synthesis of nonfunctional amino acid sequences have been identified; these are associated with increased anthocyanin accumulation in pepper and with enhanced repression of anthocyanin synthesis in eggplant. Molecular markers targeting these alleles of the homologous genes have been deve- loped, enabling the discrimination of breeding material according to anthocyanin accumulation in fruits and vegetative organs, have been developed.

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