Singapore, Oct 10 (PTI) Scientists have discovered the secret behind the notorious pungent odour of the durian fruit, by deciphering the complete genetic map of the worlds smelliest fruit for the first time. The teams analysis revealed that the durian genome comprises of about 46,000 genes - almost double that in humans, who have about 23,000 genes. "Our analysis revealed that VSC production is turbocharged in durian fruits, which fits with many peoples opinions that durian smell has a sulphury aspect," said Patrick Tan, professor at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. The ability of durians to produce high VSC levels and a pungent smell may be important in attracting animals to eat and disperse durian seeds to other regions, researchers said. PTI APA SAR SAR

Source: India Today October 10, 2017 09:22 UTC