Protoplast transformation and regeneration of transgenic Valencia sweet orange plants containing a juice quality-related pectin methylesterase gene

Valencia orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] is the leading commercial citrus species in the world for processed juice products; however, the presence of thermostable pectin methylesterase (TSPME) reduces its juice quality. A long-term strategy of this work is to eliminate or greatly reduce TSPME activity in Valencia orange. Previous work resulted in the isolation of a putative TSPME gene, CsPME4, associated with a thermostable protein fraction of Valencia orange juice. To...