Molecular and biochemical studies of fragrance biosynthesis in rose

Roses are one of the most popular ornamental plants, whose floral volatiles are not only involved in environmental interactions but also widely used by industries. The biosynthesis of many of these volatiles in roses is not well understood. This thesis describes alternative pathways for the biosynthesis of volatile terpenoids in rose petals, especially geraniol and E,E-farnesol. Their production occurs via the hydrolysis of prenyl diphosphates by Nudix hydrolase 1 (NUDX1) enzymes of which two members are characterized. In a quest to identify the transcription factors regulating the expression of the NUDX1 genes and to identify other scent-related genes, transcriptomes of scented and unscented roses were obtained and analyzed leading to several candidates.
French title of the thesis: Etude de gènes impliqués dans la biosynthèse du parfum chez la rose, Rosa x hybrida.