c0nc0rdance: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has many extant…

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Global production of watermelon is between 100-200 million tons/year. This red sweet treat has very deep roots, but it's unclear when it was domesticated to the form we know. A new clue comes from an unlikely place: a 3500 year old Egyptian mummy, combined with some very lucky DNA sequencing.🍉🧪

Cute Cat Eating WatermelonAlt: Cute Cat Eating Watermelon. It's a viral meme, so I don't know the attribution, but a grey tabby cat with a nice round face take big chomps out of a red watermelon held in a human hand. Cats can't sense the sugar, but may enjoy the water and texture, but should get only a tiny amount to avoid stomach upset.static.klipy.com

c0nc0rdance

3 авг., 16:39

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has many extant relatives, but they're all bitter, with no red flesh. We know the Egyptians prized them because of depictions in at least 3 tombs. One tomb, at Deir el Bahari, near Luxor, contained a mummy in a re-used sarcophagus, wrapped in unknown leaves.

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c0nc0rdance

3 авг., 16:39

DNA Sequencing of these 3500 yr old leaves produced only fragments, typical for ancient plant material, but some very fortunate 'hits'. Specifically, we know this plant had a mutation that disabled its ability to break down 'lycopene', the red pigment found in tomatoes & modern watermelon.

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c0nc0rdance

3 авг., 16:39

So the red pigment accumulated. But the researchers at Univ of Munich also found a disabling mutation in the gene for an enzyme that makes bitter 'cucurbitacins' chemicals. This was a sweet, red watermelon. And from tomb depictions, it was about the same size & shape as a modern one.

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c0nc0rdance

3 авг., 16:39

So we know that bitter, white-fleshed melons grown 5000 years ago in the Kordofan region of Sudan are the nearest cousins of modern watermelons. And we know that Ancient Egyptian were enjoying red-fleshed, sweet melons 3500 years ago. Sounds like an approximate date & location for domestication!

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c0nc0rdance

3 авг., 16:39

Today is National Watermelon Day 🍉, so if you happen to enjoy this strange fruit that is technically a berry with a hard rind, botanically a 'pepo', you'll be sharing in an experience enjoyed by ancient Egyptians. If you don't like the taste, there are other way to enjoy them. (📷: Slow-Mo Guys)