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Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) are short-chain acylic aldehydes, alcohols and esters produced by plants via enzymatic metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). GLVs are known to affect flavour and aroma of fruits and vegetables, including grapes. It has also been suggested that C6 and C5 GLVs are the precursors of volatile thiols, the aroma compounds that are important in Sauvignon blanc wine. GLVs are produced during grape berry development and released in high quantities upon berry crush. GLV aldehydes are formed from PUFAs by the action of two enzymes, lipoxygenase (LOX) and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL). This biochemical pathway is well characterised in other plant species and is known as the GLV pathway. To date, the GLV pathway has not been characterised in grapes. This thesis focuses on identification and initial characterisation of LOX and HPL genes and enzymes involved in the GLV-pathway. LOXs are a group of non-haem iron-containing dioxygenases that catalyse oxygenation of PUFAs producing PUFA-hydroperoxides. The most common PUFA substrates in plants are linoleic acid (LA, 18:2) and α-linolenic acid (LnA, 18:3). Depending on the position of oxygenation of the 18-carbon chain PUFAs, all plant LOXs are classified as 13(S) - and 9(S)-LOXs. 13(S)-LOXs are further regarded as type II and type I enzymes, depending on the presence or absence of transit peptides in the amino acid sequences of these enzymes respectively. HPLs belong to the CYP74 enzyme family, which is represented by atypical members of cytochrome P450 oxidases superfamily. HPLs cleave PUFA-hydroperoxides, producing aldehydes and oxoacids. Depending on the substrate specificity, HPLs are classified as 13-HPLs, 9/13-HPLs or 9-HPLs. The research reveals the complexity of the genetic makeup of the GLV metabolic pathway in grapes. Eighteen putative LOX genes and six putative HPL genes were identified in the Pinot noir grape genome. Phylogenetic analysis of the identified grape LOXs classified them as members of two groups, type II 13-LOXs and 9-LOXs, whereas all identified grape HPLs were classified as 13-HPLs (CYP-74B) and 9/13-HPLs (CYP-74C). Several LOX and HPL genes were expressed at different levels in Sauvignon blanc berry. Study of selected LOX and HPL gene expression revealed different levels of expression and differential tissue distribution of individual LOX and HPL genes within the berry. The studied genes also displayed different patterns of expression across different stages of berry development, upon wounding and in berries infected with Botrytis cinerea. Amongst the four LOX gene studied, transcripts of VvLOXA were the most abundant at all stages during berry development. VvLOXO was induced transiently upon berry damage and was a clear candidate involved in berry response to wounding. Expression levels of VvLOXC and VvLOXO were significantly increased in berries infected with Botrytis cinerea compared to the uninfected berries. In vitro biochemical analysis of the reaction products of recombinant VvLOXA (LOXA-TP) and VvLOXO (LOXO-TP) confirmed that these two enzymes are 13-LOXs. Both enzymes preferred LnA as a substrate. Both enzymes had the same temperature optima of 25°C, but preferred different pH conditions. Recombinant LOXA-TP preferred acidic environment and had pH optimum of pH 5.5, while LOXO-TP preferred neutral-to-basic conditions and had pH optimum of pH 7.5. Preliminary experiments with recombinant VvHPLA showed its ability to metabolise 13(S)-hydroperoxides, releasing C6 volatile aldehydes. Recombinant VvHPLA exhibited maximum activity with 13(S)-hydroperoxides of LnA as substrate at pH 5.0.