Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks

Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) is a traditional fruit tree of 15–30 m height in the tropics. The presence of size-controlling rootstock in the species is not known. A small tropical tree species, lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>), was recently identified as a pote...

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Main Authors: Yuchan Zhou, Steven J. R. Underhill
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-09-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/18/3285
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author Yuchan Zhou
Steven J. R. Underhill
author_facet Yuchan Zhou
Steven J. R. Underhill
author_sort Yuchan Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) is a traditional fruit tree of 15–30 m height in the tropics. The presence of size-controlling rootstock in the species is not known. A small tropical tree species, lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>), was recently identified as a potential vigor-controlling rootstock, conferring over a 65% reduction in breadfruit tree height. To better understand the intriguing scion/rootstock interactions involved in dwarfing, we investigate flavonoid accumulation and its regulation in breadfruit scions in response to different rootstocks. To this end, we isolated a chalcone synthase cDNA, <i>AaCHS</i>, and a full-length bifunctional dihydroflavonol 4-reductase cDNA, <i>AaDFR</i>, from breadfruit scion stems. The expression of both <i>AaCHS</i> and <i>AaDFR</i> genes was examined over the period of 16 to 24 months following grafting. During the development of the dwarf phenotype, breadfruit scion stems on lakoocha rootstocks display significant increases in total flavonoid content, and show upregulated <i>AaCHS</i> expression when compared with those on self-grafts and non-grafts. There is a strong, positive correlation between the transcript levels of <i>AaCHS</i> and total flavonoid content in scion stems. The transcript levels of <i>AaDFR</i> are not significantly different across scions on different rootstocks. This work provides insights into the significance of flavonoid biosynthesis in rootstock-induced breadfruit dwarfing.
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spelling doaj.art-850998b0bd094b9588df2b95d65fa0a92023-11-19T12:32:43ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-09-011218328510.3390/plants12183285Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) RootstocksYuchan Zhou0Steven J. R. Underhill1Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, AustraliaAustralian Centre for Pacific Islands Research, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, AustraliaBreadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) is a traditional fruit tree of 15–30 m height in the tropics. The presence of size-controlling rootstock in the species is not known. A small tropical tree species, lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>), was recently identified as a potential vigor-controlling rootstock, conferring over a 65% reduction in breadfruit tree height. To better understand the intriguing scion/rootstock interactions involved in dwarfing, we investigate flavonoid accumulation and its regulation in breadfruit scions in response to different rootstocks. To this end, we isolated a chalcone synthase cDNA, <i>AaCHS</i>, and a full-length bifunctional dihydroflavonol 4-reductase cDNA, <i>AaDFR</i>, from breadfruit scion stems. The expression of both <i>AaCHS</i> and <i>AaDFR</i> genes was examined over the period of 16 to 24 months following grafting. During the development of the dwarf phenotype, breadfruit scion stems on lakoocha rootstocks display significant increases in total flavonoid content, and show upregulated <i>AaCHS</i> expression when compared with those on self-grafts and non-grafts. There is a strong, positive correlation between the transcript levels of <i>AaCHS</i> and total flavonoid content in scion stems. The transcript levels of <i>AaDFR</i> are not significantly different across scions on different rootstocks. This work provides insights into the significance of flavonoid biosynthesis in rootstock-induced breadfruit dwarfing.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/18/3285breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>)dwarfingrootstockflavonoidschalcone synthase genebifunctional dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene
spellingShingle Yuchan Zhou
Steven J. R. Underhill
Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks
Plants
breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>)
dwarfing
rootstock
flavonoids
chalcone synthase gene
bifunctional dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene
title Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks
title_full Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks
title_fullStr Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks
title_full_unstemmed Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks
title_short Total Flavonoid Contents and the Expression of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Genes in Breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>) Scions Growing on Lakoocha (<i>Artocarpus lakoocha</i>) Rootstocks
title_sort total flavonoid contents and the expression of flavonoid biosynthetic genes in breadfruit i artocarpus altilis i scions growing on lakoocha i artocarpus lakoocha i rootstocks
topic breadfruit (<i>Artocarpus altilis</i>)
dwarfing
rootstock
flavonoids
chalcone synthase gene
bifunctional dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/18/3285
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