The Synergistic Effects of Environmental and Genetic Factors on the Regulation of Anthocyanin Accumulation in Plant Tissues

Anthocyanin accumulation is responsible for the coloration of apple fruit, and their accumulation depends on the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes. Light is an environmental stimulus that induces fruit color by regulating genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. In...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Van Giap Do, Youngsuk Lee, Jeong-Hee Kim, Young-Soon Kwon, Jong-Taek Park, Sangjin Yang, Juhyeon Park, Nay Myo Win, Seonae Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12946
Description
Summary:Anthocyanin accumulation is responsible for the coloration of apple fruit, and their accumulation depends on the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes. Light is an environmental stimulus that induces fruit color by regulating genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. In this study, the roles of light and genetic factors on fruit coloration and anthocyanin accumulation in apple fruit were investigated. Three genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway, <i>MdCHS</i>, <i>MdANS</i>, and <i>MdUFGT1</i>, were synthesized and cloned into a viral-based expression vector system for transient expression in ‘Ruby S’ apple fruits. Apple fruits were agroinfiltrated with expression vectors harboring <i>MdCHS</i>, <i>MdANS</i>, and <i>MdUFGT1</i>. Agroinfiltrated apple fruits were then either kept in the dark (bagged fruits) or exposed to light (exposed fruits). The agroinfiltrated fruits showed significantly different coloration patterns, transcript expression levels, and anthocyanin accumulation compared to the control fruits. Moreover, these parameters were higher in exposed fruits than in bagged fruits. For stable expression, <i>MdCHS</i> was introduced into a binary vector under the control of the rice α-amylase 3D (RAmy3D) promoter. The ectopic overexpression of <i>MdCHS</i> in transgenic rice calli showed a high accumulation of anthocyanin content. Taken together, our findings suggest that light, together with the overexpression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, induced the coloration and accumulation of anthocyanin content in apple fruits by upregulating the expression of the genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067