Cloning and analysis of CoA ligase gene of hop Humulus lupulus

Abstract

Hops are a key raw material in beer brewing, directly determining the flavor and quality of beer. This study took Humulus lupulus ‘Qingdao Dahua’ as the research object to carry out the cloning of flavor-related genes and bioinformatics analysis. Among them, isohumulone formed by the isomerization of α-acid is the main source of beer bitterness; β-acid helps improve the foam stability of beer; polyphenolic compounds affect the color, flavor stability and antioxidant properties of beer. In the experiment, healthy leaves of Qingdao Dahua hop plants were used as materials. After extracting total RNA by the TRIzol method and synthesizing the first strand of cDNA by reverse transcription, nested PCR technology was used to clone the target genes. Sequencing and alignment showed that the cloned genes had no differences from the sequences of the sequenced varieties, providing a reliable foundation for follow-up in-depth research. Through bioinformatics analysis, the physicochemical properties, secondary and tertiary structures of the proteins encoded by the target genes were predicted, and their functional domains and active sites were mined. The research results will provide theoretical support for revealing the flavor formation mechanism of hops, facilitate the genetic improvement of hop varieties, promote the optimization and upgrading of beer brewing processes, and be of great significance for the sustainable development of the beer industry.