Justin Lashbrooke

Justin Lashbrooke
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Justin verified their affiliation via an institutional email.
Verified
Justin verified their affiliation via an institutional email.
Stellenbosch University | SUN

PhD
fruitgenomicslab.com

About

21
Publications
12,510
Reads
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1,229
Citations
Introduction
My research interests include plant science, genetics, molecular biology, and analytical chemistry, with a focus on fruit functional genomics, metabolomics, and crop improvement. My mission is to establish an academic career in plant sciences and contribute to the advancement of knowledge and innovation in the fields of plant molecular physiology and specialised metabolism.
Additional affiliations
January 2023 - present
Stellenbosch University
Position
  • Lecturer
September 2020 - December 2022
Stellenbosch University
Position
  • Researcher
January 2016 - September 2020
Agricultural Research Council, South Africa
Position
  • PostDoc Position

Publications

Publications (21)
Article
Full-text available
The epidermis of aerial plant organs is the primary source of building blocks forming the outer surface cuticular layer. To examine the relationship between epidermal cell development and cuticle assembly in the context of fruit surface, we investigated the tomato SlMIXTA-like gene. MIXTA/MIXTA-like proteins, initially described in snapdragon petal...
Article
Full-text available
Suberin, a polymer composed of both aliphatic and aromatic domains, is deposited as a rough matrix upon plant surface damage and during normal growth in the root endodermis, bark, specialized organs (e.g., Solanum tuberosum (potato) tubers), and seed coats. To identify genes associated with the developmental control of suberin deposition, we invest...
Article
Full-text available
Wild tomato species represent a rich gene pool for numerous desirable traits lost during domestication. Here, we exploited an introgression population representing wild desert-adapted species and a domesticated cultivar to establish the genetic basis of gene expression and chemical variation accompanying the transfer of wild-species-associated frui...
Article
Full-text available
Volatile organic compounds such as terpenes influence the quality parameters of grapevine through their contribution to the flavour and aroma profile of berries. Biosynthesis of volatile organic compounds in grapevine is relatively complex and controlled by multiple genes, the majority of which are unknown or uncharacterised. To identify the genomi...
Article
Full-text available
The aboveground plant surface is a well-adapted tissue layer that acts as an interface between the plant and its surrounding environment. As such, its primary role is to protect against desiccation and maintain the gaseous exchange required for photosynthesis. Further, this surface layer provides a barrier against pathogens and herbivory, while att...
Article
Full-text available
The MADS-box protein SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1) is a key floral activator that coordinates external and internal stimuli to ensure timely floral transition. During early development, SOC1 represses floral organ identity to prevent premature differentiation and, thus, is also linked to the successful development of functional f...
Article
Climate change and rapid adaption of invasive pathogens pose a constant pressure on fruit industry to develop improved varieties. Aiming to accelerate the development of better adapted cultivars, new breeding techniques have emerged as a promising alternative to meet the demand of a growing global population. Accelerated breeding, cisgenesis and CR...
Article
Full-text available
Mono- and sesquiterpenes are volatile organic compounds which play crucial roles in human perception of table grape and wine flavour and aroma, and as such their biosynthesis has received significant attention. Here, the biosynthesis of mono- and sesquiterpenes in grapevine is reviewed, with a specific focus on the metabolic pathways which lead to...
Article
Full-text available
Key message We present a high-density integrated map for grapevine, allowing refinement and improved understanding of the grapevine genome, while demonstrating the applicability of the Vitis18K SNP chip for linkage mapping. Abstract The improvement of grapevine through biotechnology requires identification of the molecular bases of target traits b...
Article
Full-text available
The skin of fleshy fruit is typically covered by a thick cuticle. Some fruit species develop different forms of layers directly above their skin. Reticulation, for example, is a specialized suberin-based coating that ornaments some commercially important melon (Cucumis melo) fruit and is an important quality trait. Despite its importance, the struc...
Article
We present a resource for fine mapping of traits derived from the wild tomato species Solanum pennellii (LA0716). The backcross inbred lines (BILs) population is composed of 446 lines derived after a few generations of backcrosses of the wild species to the cultivated tomato (cultivar M82; LA3475) followed by more than seven generations of self pol...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Most aerial plant organs are covered by a cuticle, which largely consists of cutin and wax. Cuticular waxes are mixtures of dozens of compounds, mostly very-long-chain aliphatics that are easily extracted by solvents. Over the last four decades, diverse cuticular wax analysis protocols have been developed, most of which are complex and...
Article
Full-text available
The outer epidermal layer of apple fruit is covered by a protective cuticle. Composed of a polymerized cutin matrix embedded with waxes, the cuticle is a natural waterproof barrier and protects against several abiotic and biotic stresses. In terms of apple production, the cuticle is essential to maintain long post-harvest storage, while severe fail...
Data
Full-text available
Functional characterisation of three members of the Vitis vinifera L. carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase gene family Additional file 1
Article
The hydrophobic cuticular membrane of land plants performs a number of important roles during fruit development, including protection from a range of abiotic and biotic stresses. The components of the fleshy fruit cuticle are synthesized and secreted from the epidermal cells. While the biosynthetic and transport pathways of the cuticle have been th...
Chapter
This book, divided into four parts, aims to gather comprehensive and concise information on the advances in fruit research. Part one focuses on physiology and metabolism. Part two deals with fruit nutritional quality and part three with signalling and hormonal control of fruit ripening. Part four covers genetic and epigenetic control of fruit ripen...
Article
Full-text available
In plants, carotenoids serve as the precursors to C13-norisoprenoids, a group of apocarotenoid compounds with diverse biological functions. Enzymatic cleavage of carotenoids catalysed by members of the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) family has been shown to produce a number of industrially important volatile flavour and aroma apocarotenoids...
Article
Fleshy tomato fruit typically lacks stomata; therefore, a proper cuticle is particularly vital for fruit development and interaction with the surroundings. Here, we characterized the tomato S l SHINE 3 ( SlSHN3 ) transcription factor to extend our limited knowledge regarding the regulation of cuticle formation in fleshy fruits. We created SlSHN3 ov...
Article
Full-text available
Background Carotenoids are a heterogeneous group of plant isoprenoids primarily involved in photosynthesis. In plants the cleavage of carotenoids leads to the formation of the phytohormones abscisic acid and strigolactone, and C13-norisoprenoids involved in the characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in flowers and fruits and are of specific im...
Article
Background and Aims:  Carotenoids and chlorophylls perform a number of essential roles in plants making their accurate quantification important to a variety of studies. We aimed to develop an extraction protocol to accurately determine the photosynthetic pigments in grapevine leaf and berry tissue, specifically focusing on limiting the degradation...

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