Genome-Wide Characterization and Analysis of bHLH Transcription Factors Related to Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> (‘Gantong 1’)

Genome-Wide Characterization and Analysis of bHLH Transcription Factors Related to Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> (‘Gantong 1’)

<i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> is one of the most commonly used tree species in landscaping. Improving its ornamental traits, particularly bark and leaf colors, is one of the key breeding goals. The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are crucial in controlling anthocya...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xue Gong, Tengfei Shen, Xiuqi Li, Hanbin Lin, Caihui Chen, Huihu Li, Zhaoxiang Wu, Qiaoli Liu, Meng Xu, Bo Zhang, Yongda Zhong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-02-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
anthocyanin
<i>Cinnamomum camphora</i>
basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors
collinearity analysis
RNA sequencing
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/4/3498
Description
Summary:<i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> is one of the most commonly used tree species in landscaping. Improving its ornamental traits, particularly bark and leaf colors, is one of the key breeding goals. The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are crucial in controlling anthocyanin biosynthesis in many plants. However, their role in <i>C. camphora</i> remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified 150 bHLH TFs (<i>CcbHLHs</i>) using natural mutant <i>C. camphora</i> ‘Gantong 1’, which has unusual bark and leaf colors. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 150 CcbHLHs were divided into 26 subfamilies which shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs. According to the protein homology analysis, we identified four candidate CcbHLHs that were highly conserved compared to the TT8 protein in <i>A. thaliana</i>. These TFs are potentially involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in <i>C. camphora</i>. RNA-seq analysis revealed specific expression patterns of <i>CcbHLHs</i> in different tissue types. Furthermore, we verified expression patterns of seven <i>CcbHLHs</i> (<i>CcbHLH001</i>, <i>CcbHLH015</i>, <i>CcbHLH017</i>, <i>CcbHLH022</i>, <i>CcbHLH101</i>, <i>CcbHLH118</i>, and <i>CcbHLH134</i>) in various tissue types at different growth stages using qRT-PCR. This study opens a new avenue for subsequent research on anthocyanin biosynthesis regulated by <i>CcbHLH</i> TFs in <i>C. camphora</i>.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067

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