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Apple Gene for Red Color Found

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the and-blue-and-purple-and-orange dept.

FiReaNGeL writes "Researchers have located the gene that controls the red color of apples — a discovery that may lead to bright new apple varieties. 'The red color in apple skin is the result of anthocyanins, the natural plant compounds responsible for blue and red colours in many flowers and fruits,' says the leader of the CSIRO. By identifying master genes that were activated by light, they were able to pinpoint the gene that controls the formation of anthocyanins in apples. 'As well as giving apples their rosy red hue, anthocyanins are also antioxidants with healthy attributes, giving us plenty of reasons to study how the biochemical pathway leading to apple color is regulated,' researchers said."

4 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. colors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    orange apples incoming

    now apples and oranges shall be COMPARABLE!!!

  2. Think of the marketing potential by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now in stores, they'll be able to have Apples in Blueberry, Grape, Lime, Strawberry and Tangerine colours. Oh wait...

  3. Roses are red... by hall_simon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Roses are red, Apples are too, I know you colour gene, Now you are blue!

  4. Re:The Terrible Tinkerer Trippin over his feet. by metlin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How about -- not at the mercy of nature as we once were, comfortable living, increased life expectancy, understanding our universe and our world better than we ever did and so on?

    I think Slashdotters are becoming a whiny bunch.

    Sure, there are problems in this world. Nobody is denying that.

    But guess what? Civilization would not have happened if someone hadn't been curious in the first place -- to see what that piece of meat tasted like. To use that stone as a tool and to build and create.

    Instead, you'd be running on a very green, pristine Earth for your life from a predator.

    I think I'd rather have this, thank you very much.