The proverb says that "Of the colors, the scarlet; of the fruits, the apple" and that "There is nothing healthier than to eat an apple on an empty stomach". An international team from France, Italy, Belgium, New Zealand and the United States has just published the first draft of the genome of this popular fruit that inspired Isaac Newton's theory of gravity, and is a symbol of temptation.
The genetic sequence of the apple, published in the journal Nature Genetics , will allow scientists to identify which genes are responsible for certain desirable characteristics of the fruit, such as color and flavor, as well as which ones provide resistance to disease, or drought. , to the plant. And even develop varieties that enhance their healthy properties.
In addition, the work, directed by Amit Dhingra, from Washington State University (USA), has revealed that the common "wild ancestor" of the domestic apples we grow today is Malus sieversii , native to the southern mountains. from Kazakhstan .
The apple genome has more than 700 million base pairs . The domestic cultivation of this fruit began in the Middle East about 4,000 years ago, and today more than 60 million tons are produced worldwide each year.
