Principal Investigator: Tom Collins, Washington State University, Richland
Contact: 509-372-7515 tom.collins@wsu.edu
Co-PIs/Collaborators: Amit Dhingra (Texas A & M University)
Summary: When wildfires occur near wine grape vineyards, smoke-derived volatile phenolic compounds can be taken up by the grape berries, negatively affecting the flavor and aroma profile of the resulting wine. Evidence for the permeation of smoke-associated compounds into grape berries has been provided through the study of metabolites of grape berries. However, the basis for grapevines’ response to smoke at the gene expression level has not been investigated in detail. This project, initially funded through seed money from the Washington wine industry, employs time-course RNA sequencing to observe gene expression-level changes in grape berries in response to smoke exposure.
Significant increases in gene expression were observed in response to smoke. Findings suggest that the accumulation of volatile phenols from smoke exposure activates mechanisms that render smoke-exposed compounds less reactive while simultaneously fortifying intracellular defense mechanisms. This has led to a better understanding of the molecular basis for grapevines’ response to smoke and provides insight into the origins of smoke-taint associated flavor and aroma attributes in wine produced from smoke-exposed grapes.
Included in the report is an informative illustration of what happens within the grape berry that is exposed to smoke compounds.
Download the full report above.