Why is the petunia flower green?

(beautiful and fragile petunia) have their unusual colors from a molecular flaw in the plant's acidity control system.

A study that completely sheds light on this flaw, helps solve the mystery that has lasted for decades about the exotic green color of this flower. The investigation sought to understand the reason that the green petal flowers have also discovered a new cell 'pump' in this plant that researchers have never observed before. That finding could lead to color manipulation in other flowers and lead to new flavors of fruit, wine and fruit juices, the researchers reported in the journal Cell. Reports on January 2, 2014.

Most primrose flowers are red or purple, so scientists can't explain why some bloom in blue. In the early 19th century, researchers tried to explain this color. One theory is that the green petal petals are less acidic, and somehow affect their color. Another theory is that something has been turned off during the formation of chemicals that produce their flower colors.

Flower petal.(Photo: hngn.com)

'Our current view is that both theories are reasonable,' said researcher Francesca Quattrocchio of VU-University Amsterdam University in a statement.

Quattrocchio and her colleagues studied the molecules that make up petal cells of petal flowers. Cells transport substances through their membranes along with the help of tiny pumps; These pumps also bind them to their balanced pH, or acidity level.

Petal cells are known to have a large pH difference compared to other cells. The new study found that an unknown pump moves protons, positively charged particles, across cell membranes. This pump is not like other pumps in plants, because it calculates more acidity than any other cell pump, explaining a large pH gradient in petal cells. In the blue petal flower, the researchers found that the genetic error deflects this pumping system so that this excess acidity does not occur.

These genes are also important in other plants, researchers write, and the pumps they encode may appear outside the petals. Tobacco is an example, expressing these genes in its trunk, shoots and roots, although functions in those tissues are unknown.

Discovering new pumps and their genetic background can be applied to interfering color changing techniques or changing the taste of fruit. However, the blue color may not be a great color for the oatmeal, which is less attracted to insects to pollinate than red and purple blood, the researchers added.