Carotenoid profiling and the expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes in developing coffee grain

Roasted coffee contains a complex array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which make an important contribution to the characteristic flavour and aroma of the final beverage. It is thought that a few of the potent coffee aroma components, such as “β-damascenone”, could be derived from carotenoid precursors. In order to further investigate the potential link between carotenoids and coffee aroma profiles, we have measured the carotenoid content in developing coffee grain. The data obtained confirms the presence of lutein in the grain, and additionally shows that the immature coffee grain also contains significant amounts of β-carotene, α-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin. Complimentary quantitative gene expression analysis revealed that all the carotenoid biosynthetic genes examined are expressed in the grain, and that the transcript levels are gene and stage dependent. Furthermore, consistent with the reduction of the carotenoid levels at the last stage of grain development (mature-red), most of the transcript levels were also found to be lower at the final developmental stage. Quantitative expression analysis of the carotenoid genes was also carried out for the developing pericarp tissue of the coffee cherries. Again, all the genes examined were expressed, and in most cases, the highest transcript levels were detected around the large green–yellow stages, a period when carotenoid synthesis is probably greatest.