International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 185-194 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 185 Review and Progress Open Access Molecular Regulation of Durian Fruit Aroma: Genetic Network of Sulfur-Containing Volatile Biosynthesis ChuchuLiu1,2 , Zhonggang Li 1 1 Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China 2 Tropical Medicinal Plant Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: chuchu.liu@cui.org International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.4 doi: 10.5376/ijh.2025.15.0019 Received: 09 Jun., 2025 Accepted: 28 Jul., 2025 Published: 12 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Liu and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Liu C.C., and Li Z.G., 2025, Molecular regulation of durian fruit aroma: genetic network of sulfur-containing volatile biosynthesis, International Journal of Horticulture, 15(4): 185-194 (doi: 10.5376/ijh.2025.15.0019) Abstract This study describes the molecular regulatory mechanism of aroma formation in durian (Durio zibethinus) fruit and explores the biosynthetic pathway of sulfur-containing volatiles and their genetic network. The key role of sulfur-containing compounds in imparting a unique odor to the fruit, the core gene family involved in aroma biosynthesis, and the functions of transcription factors (such as MYB and bHLH) in the regulatory network, constructed a regulatory network model reflecting complex interactions. This study also explored the effects of environmental factors such as temperature and light and the fruit development stage on the changes in aroma components, and the mechanism of synergistic effects of external signals and internal regulatory factors. Emerging technologies such as molecular breeding, gene editing, and systems biology have important application prospects for improving the aroma quality of durian. Keywords Durian aroma; sulfur-containing volatiles; Biosynthetic pathways; Genetic regulation; Molecular breeding 1 Introduction Durian, Latin for Durio zibethinus, is a tropical fruit. Durian has a strong and distinctive smell, which is produced by a mixture of sulphur and onion. This special smell is characteristic of durian and makes durian play an important role in the cultural recognition and economic value of fruits in Southeast Asia (Teh et al., 2017). It is the various volatile compounds, especially sulfur-containing compounds, that give durian its distinctive smell and are more abundant and diverse in both content and variety than durian relatives such as Durio kutejensis (Belgis et al., 2017; Abdul Rahman et al., 2023). Durian's strong smell makes it stand out in the fruit category. The unique smell of durian mainly comes from some sulfur-containing volatile compounds. These substances give durian its strong and special aroma. Studies have shown that an enzyme called methionine gamma-lyase (MGL) is highly active in durian fruit, and it plays a big role in shaping the fruit’s smell (Teh et al., 2017; Aschariyaphotha et al., 2021). Compounds like propyl mercaptan, diethyl disulfide, and 3,5-dimethyl-1,2,4-trithiane are linked to the strong, and sometimes unpleasant, odor of durian (Belgis et al., 2017). The way these smell compounds are made is quite complex. Right now, scientists are trying to figure out how they are produced and controlled. This study will explore how sulfur-containing aromatic compounds are produced and regulated in durian, and explore the genes and biochemical systems involved in sulfur-containing aromatic compounds. Understanding the source of these compounds and how they affect the smell of fruits in this study can provide a reference for the development of new varieties of durian with better aroma. This research could also provide useful insights into how fruit aromas work and how plants manage their volatile compounds. 2 Chemical Composition and Characteristics of Durian Aroma 2.1 Main categories and proportions of volatile compounds Durian aroma is a complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and sulfides. Esters and alcohols are the main substances that play a key role in forming the overall aroma of the durian. Sujang et al. (2023) found that wild durians in Sarawak, Borneo, for example, had three to nine
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