AT3 (Acyltransferase) Gene Isolated From Capsicum frutescens cv. Cakra Hijau

Abstract

Chili pepper is widely used and cultivated by Indonesian people. There are three species of chili pepper, i.e. Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum violaceum. C. frutescens has a higher econo- mic value due to its pungency and carotenoid content. C. frutescens has several cultivars, one of those is C. frutescens cv. Cakra Hijau. This cultivar is resistant against pest and disease and has very high pung- ency. This special character of chili pepper is capsaicin, its secondary metabolic. Moreover, capsaicin also serves as defense mechanism, antiarthritis, analgesic, and anticancer. This study was aimed to iso - late acyltransferase (AT3) gene which encoded capsaicin synthase (CS) enzyme. AT3 gene was isolated through PCR using forward primer 5’-ATG GCT TTT GCA TTA CCA TCA-3’ and reverse primer 5’- CCT TCA CAA TTA TTC GCC CA-3’. Data were analyzed using DNA Baser, BLAST, and ClustalX. This study has successfully isolated 404 bp fragments of AT3 gene. These fragments are located at 1918-1434 bp referred to AT3 gene from C. frutescens cv. Shuanla. The isolation of upstream and down- stream fragments of AT3 gene from C. frutescens cv. Cakra Hijau is undergoing