@article{yocca_platts_alger_teresi_mengist_benevenuto_ferrao_jacobs_babinski_magallanes-lundback_et al._2023, title={Blueberry and cranberry pangenomes as a resource for future genetic studies and breeding efforts}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2052-7276"]}, DOI={10.1093/hr/uhad202}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={11}, journal={HORTICULTURE RESEARCH}, author={Yocca, Alan E. and Platts, Adrian and Alger, Elizabeth and Teresi, Scott and Mengist, Molla F. and Benevenuto, Juliana and Ferrao, Luis Felipe V and Jacobs, MacKenzie and Babinski, Michal and Magallanes-Lundback, Maria and et al.}, year={2023}, month={Nov} }
 @article{coe_bostan_rolling_turner-hissong_macko-podgorni_senalik_liu_seth_curaba_mengist_et al._2023, title={Population genomics identifies genetic signatures of carrot domestication and improvement and uncovers the origin of high-carotenoid orange carrots}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2055-0278"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01526-6}, DOI={10.1038/s41477-023-01526-6}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={NATURE PLANTS}, author={Coe, Kevin and Bostan, Hamed and Rolling, William and Turner-Hissong, Sarah and Macko-Podgorni, Alicja and Senalik, Douglas and Liu, Su and Seth, Romit and Curaba, Julien and Mengist, Molla Fentie and et al.}, year={2023}, month={Sep} }
 @article{albert_iorizzo_mengist_montanari_zalapa_maule_edger_yocca_platts_pucker_et al._2023, title={Vaccinium as a comparative system for understanding of complex flavonoid accumulation profiles and regulation in fruit}, ISSN={["1532-2548"]}, DOI={10.1093/plphys/kiad250}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={PLANT PHYSIOLOGY}, author={Albert, Nick W. and Iorizzo, Massimo and Mengist, Molla F. and Montanari, Sara and Zalapa, Juan and Maule, Andrew and Edger, Patrick P. and Yocca, Alan E. and Platts, Adrian E. and Pucker, Boas and et al.}, year={2023}, month={May} }
 @article{mengist_byrne_griffin_milbourne_2022, title={A note on the early transcriptional response in leaves and root of potato plants to cadmium exposure}, volume={60}, ISSN={["0791-6833"]}, DOI={10.15212/ijafr-2020-0124}, abstractNote={
Potato plants can accumulate a high amount of cadmium (Cd) in the tuber when grown in soils rich in Cd. The molecular mechanisms governing Cd accumulation in the potato plant are poorly understood. Here we performed an RNA-sequencing experiment to identify genes differentially expressed in the leaf and root of potato during early stages of Cd exposure. Results did not identify any significant transcriptional response in leaves under 1 or 5 mg kg−1 Cd after 72 h. However, in the roots we did identify 2,846 genes that were significantly differentially expressed after 72 h between plants grown in 5 mg kg−1 Cd and controls. These included genes involved in photosynthesis and autophagy being up-regulated, and genes involved in intracellular transport being down-regulated. This study is the first report on the transcriptome-wide response of potato to Cd stress, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the response.}, number={1}, journal={IRISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD RESEARCH}, author={Mengist, M. F. and Byrne, S. L. and Griffin, D. and Milbourne, D.}, year={2022}, pages={27–32} }
 @article{mengist_bostan_de paola_teresi_platts_cremona_qi_mackey_bassil_ashrafi_et al._2022, title={Autopolyploid inheritance and a heterozygous reciprocal translocation shape chromosome genetic behavior in tetraploid blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)}, volume={9}, ISSN={["1469-8137"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18428}, DOI={10.1111/nph.18428}, abstractNote={Summary}, journal={NEW PHYTOLOGIST}, author={Mengist, Molla F. and Bostan, Hamed and De Paola, Domenico and Teresi, Scott J. and Platts, Adrian E. and Cremona, Gaetana and Qi, Xinpeng and Mackey, Ted and Bassil, Nahla V and Ashrafi, Hamid and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Sep} }
 @article{mengist_grace_mackey_munoz_pucker_bassil_luby_ferruzzi_lila_iorizzo_2022, title={Dissecting the genetic basis of bioactive metabolites and fruit quality traits in blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)}, volume={13}, ISSN={["1664-462X"]}, DOI={10.3389/fpls.2022.964656}, abstractNote={Blueberry is well-recognized as a healthy fruit with functionality derived largely from anthocyanin and chlorogenic acid. Despite their importance, no study to date has evaluated the genetic basis of these bioactives in blueberries and their relationship with fruit quality traits. Hence, to fill this gap, a mapping population including 196 F1 individuals was phenotyped for anthocyanin and chlorogenic acid concentration and fruit quality traits (titratable acidity, pH, and total soluble solids) over 3 years and data were used for QTL mapping and correlation analysis. Total soluble solids and chlorogenic acid were positively correlated with glycosylated anthocyanin and total anthocyanin, respectively, indicating that parallel selection for these traits is possible. Across all the traits, a total of 188 QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11 and 12. Notably, four major regions with overlapping major-effect QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 4 and 8, and were responsible for acylation and glycosylation of anthocyanins in a substrate and sugar donor specific manner. Through comparative transcriptome analysis, multiple candidate genes were identified for these QTLs, including glucosyltransferases and acyltransferases. Overall, the study provides the first insights into the genetic basis controlling anthocyanins accumulation and composition, chlorogenic acid and fruit quality traits, and establishes a framework to advance genetic studies and molecular breeding for anthocyanins in blueberry.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE}, author={Mengist, Molla Fentie and Grace, Mary H. and Mackey, Ted and Munoz, Bryan and Pucker, Boas and Bassil, Nahla and Luby, Claire and Ferruzzi, Mario and Lila, Mary Ann and Iorizzo, Massimo}, year={2022}, month={Sep} }
 @article{yow_bostan_castanera_ruggieri_mengist_curaba_young_gillitt_iorizzo_2022, title={Improved High-Quality Genome Assembly and Annotation of Pineapple (Ananas comosus) Cultivar MD2 Revealed Extensive Haplotype Diversity and Diversified FRS/FRF Gene Family}, volume={13}, ISSN={["2073-4425"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13010052}, DOI={10.3390/genes13010052}, abstractNote={Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) is the second most important tropical fruit crop globally, and ‘MD2’ is the most important cultivated variety. A high-quality genome is important for molecular-based breeding, but available pineapple genomes still have some quality limitations. Here, PacBio and Hi-C data were used to develop a new high-quality MD2 assembly and gene prediction. Compared to the previous MD2 assembly, major improvements included a 26.6-fold increase in contig N50 length, phased chromosomes, and >6000 new genes. The new MD2 assembly also included 161.6 Mb additional sequences and >3000 extra genes compared to the F153 genome. Over 48% of the predicted genes harbored potential deleterious mutations, indicating that the high level of heterozygosity in this species contributes to maintaining functional alleles. The genome was used to characterize the FAR1-RELATED SEQUENCE (FRS) genes that were expanded in pineapple and rice. Transposed and dispersed duplications contributed to expanding the numbers of these genes in the pineapple lineage. Several AcFRS genes were differentially expressed among tissue-types and stages of flower development, suggesting that their expansion contributed to evolving specialized functions in reproductive tissues. The new MD2 assembly will serve as a new reference for genetic and genomic studies in pineapple.}, number={1}, journal={GENES}, author={Yow, Ashley G. and Bostan, Hamed and Castanera, Raul and Ruggieri, Valentino and Mengist, Molla F. and Curaba, Julien and Young, Roberto and Gillitt, Nicholas and Iorizzo, Massimo}, year={2022}, month={Jan} }
 @article{edger_iorizzo_bassil_benevenuto_ferrao_giongo_hummer_lawas_leisner_li_et al._2022, title={There and back again; historical perspective and future directions for Vaccinium breeding and research studies}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2052-7276"]}, DOI={10.1093/hr/uhac083}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={HORTICULTURE RESEARCH}, author={Edger, Patrick P. and Iorizzo, Massimo and Bassil, Nahla V and Benevenuto, Juliana and Ferrao, Luis Felipe V and Giongo, Lara and Hummer, Kim and Lawas, Lovely Mae F. and Leisner, Courtney P. and Li, Changying and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Jan} }
 @article{mengist_bostan_young_kay_gillitt_ballington_kay_ferruzzi_ashrafi_lila_et al._2021, title={High-density linkage map construction and identification of loci regulating fruit quality traits in blueberry}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2052-7276"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-021-00605-z}, DOI={10.1038/s41438-021-00605-z}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={1}, journal={HORTICULTURE RESEARCH}, author={Mengist, Molla F. and Bostan, Hamed and Young, Elisheba and Kay, Kristine L. and Gillitt, Nicholas and Ballington, James and Kay, Colin D. and Ferruzzi, Mario G. and Ashrafi, Hamid and Lila, Mary Ann and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Dec} }
 @article{mengist_burtch_debelo_pottorff_bostan_nunn_corbin_kay_bassil_hummer_et al._2020, title={Development of a genetic framework to improve the efficiency of bioactive delivery from blueberry}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2045-2322"]}, url={https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC7560831}, DOI={10.1038/s41598-020-74280-w}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={1}, journal={SCIENTIFIC REPORTS}, author={Mengist, Molla F. and Burtch, Haley and Debelo, Hawi and Pottorff, Marti and Bostan, Hamed and Nunn, Candace and Corbin, Sydney and Kay, Colin D. and Bassil, Nahla and Hummer, Kim and et al.}, year={2020}, month={Oct} }
 @article{strauch_mengist_pan_yousef_iorizzo_brown_lila_2019, title={Variation in anthocyanin profiles of 27 genotypes of red cabbage over two growing seasons}, volume={301}, ISSN={["1873-7072"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125289}, DOI={10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125289}, abstractNote={Acylated anthocyanins, such as those found in red cabbage, are more heat-, light-, and alkaline pH-stable than non-acylated anthocyanins, making them attractive for a variety of commercial applications. A UPLC-DAD-MSE method with an optimized chromatographic strategy was used to identify 29 red cabbage anthocyanins, predominantly acylated and glucosylated cyanidin derivatives. Anthocyanin profiles of 27 red cabbage genotypes harvested in consecutive growing seasons were measured and assessed for variation. Three unique anthocyanin profile fingerprints were identified through hierarchical clustering analysis. PCA analysis identified anthocyanin accumulation traits and genotypes with high diversity which can be utilized in future investigations into the genetic and molecular basis for anthocyanin production, acylation, and diversity.}, journal={FOOD CHEMISTRY}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Strauch, Renee C. and Mengist, Molla F. and Pan, Kevin and Yousef, Gad G. and Iorizzo, Massimo and Brown, Allan F. and Lila, Mary Ann}, year={2019}, month={Dec} }