Global analysis of common bean multidrug and toxic compound extrusion transporters (PvMATEs): PvMATE8 and pinto bean seed coat darkening.

In common bean ( L.), postharvest seed coat darkening is an undesirable trait that affects crop value. The increased accumulation of proanthocyanidins (PAs) in the seed coat results in darker seeds in many market classes of colored beans after harvest.

Slow darkening of pinto bean seed coat is associated with significant metabolite and transcript differences related to proanthocyanidin biosynthesis.

Background: Postharvest seed coat darkening in pinto bean is an undesirable trait resulting in a loss in the economic value of the crop. The extent of darkening varies between the bean cultivars and their storage conditions.

Results: Metabolite analysis revealed that the majority of flavonoids including proanthocyanidin monomer catechin accumulated at higher level in a regular darkening (RD) pinto line CDC Pintium than in a slow darkening (SD) line 1533-15.

Identification, Characterization and Down-Regulation of Cysteine Protease Genes in Tobacco for Use in Recombinant Protein Production.

Plants are an attractive host system for pharmaceutical protein production. Many therapeutic proteins have been produced and scaled up in plants at a low cost compared to the conventional microbial and animal-based systems. The main technical challenge during this process is to produce sufficient levels of recombinant proteins in plants.