Scientists crack smelly durian's DNA code

A three-year study on the stinky durian fruit has found a higher-than-usual presence of an enzyme which regulates odour compounds.

A team of scientists in Singapore has mapped the durian's DNA and discovered why the so-called "king of fruits" smells so strongly, scientific journal Nature Genetics reports.

The three-year study, which used cutting-edge gene sequencing technology, found a higher-than-usual presence of an enzyme known as methionine gamma-lyase (MGL), which regulates odour compounds.

While most other fruits have only one or two MGL copies, the durian has four, thereby explaining its overpowering pungency.

Durian is commonly banned from hotel rooms and public transport in South-East Asia due to its pungent odour. It strongly divides people's opinions - they either love it or hate it.

Other surprising discoveries from the study included that durians have 46,000 genes, twice what humans possess, and that the fruit's lineage could be traced back 65 million years to the cacao plant.

The team hopes that mapping the durian's genome will make it easier to produce durian varieties that are drought and disease-resistant, as well as low-sugar breeds for diabetic sufferers.