Grown in tropical countries across Southeast Asia, durian is a fruit that has been described as “hell on the outside, and heaven on the inside.” The smell of one of these spiky, melon-like orbs has been compared to rotting onions mixed with turpentine, or even raw sewage, but it’s the fruit’s sweet and creamy center that has earned the potent fruit a loyal following. Now, researchers at the National Cancer Centre in Singapore have sequenced the genome of the durian to find out why it smells so bad. They discovered a class of genes called methionine gamma-lyase (MGLs), which are associated with volatile and foul-smelling sulfur compounds.
Smells bad, tastes good:
In analyzing a durian variety called Musang King, scientists found a complex plant with nearly 46,000 genes -- about twice the number found in humans.
Also called “the king of fruit,” the durian shares an evolutionary ancestor with cacao, which is used to make chocolate.
Durian smells so bad that it is not permitted on buses, trains, or hotels in Singapore, although China imports $600 million USD worth of the stinky fruit every year.
Discussion Comments
Tastes great, but I would rather be downwind of a pig farm on a hot day.
Post your comments