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Bennett J, Meiyalaghan S, Nguyen HM, Boldingh H, Cooney J, Elborough C, Araujo LD, Barrell P, Lin-Wang K, Plunkett BJ, Martin D, Espley RV. Exogenous abscisic acid and sugar induce a cascade of ripening events associated with anthocyanin accumulation in cultured Pinot Noir grape berries. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1324675. [PMID: 38186606 PMCID: PMC10768192 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1324675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Fruit quality is dependent on various factors including flavour, texture and colour. These factors are determined by the ripening process, either climacteric or non-climacteric. In grape berry, which is non-climacteric, the process is signalled by a complex set of hormone changes. Abscisic acid (ABA) is one of the key hormones involved in ripening, while sugar availability also plays a significant role in certain ripening aspects such as anthocyanin production. To understand the relative influence of hormone and sugar signalling in situ can prove problematic due to the physiological and environmental (abiotic and biotic) factors at play in vineyards. Here we report on the use of in vitro detached berry culture to investigate the comparative significance of ABA and sugar in the regulation of Pinot noir berry anthocyanin production under controlled conditions. Using a factorial experimental design, pre-véraison berries were cultured on media with various concentrations of sucrose and ABA. After 15 days of in vitro culture, the berries were analysed for changes in metabolites, hormones and gene expression. Results illustrated a stimulatory effect of sucrose and ABA on enhancing berry colour and a corresponding increase in anthocyanins. Increased ABA concentration was able to boost anthocyanin production in berries when sucrose supply was low. The sucrose and ABA effects on berry anthocyanins were primarily manifested through the up-regulation of transcription factors and other genes in the phenylpropanoid pathway, while in other parts of the pathway a down-regulation of key proanthocyanindin transcription factors and genes corresponded to sharp reduction in berry proanthocyanidins, irrespective of sucrose supply. Similarly, increased ABA was correlated with a significant reduction in berry malic acid and associated regulatory genes. These findings suggest a predominance of berry ABA over berry sugar in coordinating the physiological and genetic regulation of anthocyanins and proanthocyanins in Pinot noir grape berries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Bennett
- Tree Crops, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Motueka, New Zealand
| | - Sathiyamoorthy Meiyalaghan
- Premium Crops & Technology, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Han M. Nguyen
- Tree Crops, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Helen Boldingh
- Fruit Crops Physiology, Biological Chemistry & Bioactives, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Janine Cooney
- Fruit Crops Physiology, Biological Chemistry & Bioactives, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Caitlin Elborough
- Tree Crops, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Leandro Dias Araujo
- Department of Wine Food & Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Philippa Barrell
- Premium Crops & Technology, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kui Lin-Wang
- Tree Crops, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Blue J. Plunkett
- Tree Crops, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Damian Martin
- Viticulture & Oenology, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Blenheim, New Zealand
| | - Richard V. Espley
- Tree Crops, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
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2
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Nguyen HM, Putterill J, Dare AP, Plunkett BJ, Cooney J, Peng Y, Souleyre EJF, Albert NW, Espley RV, Günther CS. Two genes, ANS and UFGT2, from Vaccinium spp. are key steps for modulating anthocyanin production. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1082246. [PMID: 36818839 PMCID: PMC9933871 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1082246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Anthocyanins are a major group of red to blue spectrum plant pigments with many consumer health benefits. Anthocyanins are derived from the flavonoid pathway and diversified by glycosylation and methylation, involving the concerted action of specific enzymes. Blueberry and bilberry (Vaccinium spp.) are regarded as 'superfruits' owing to their high content of flavonoids, especially anthocyanins. While ripening-related anthocyanin production in bilberry (V. myrtillus) and blueberry (V. corymbosum) is regulated by the transcriptional activator MYBA1, the role of specific structural genes in determining the concentration and composition of anthocyanins has not been functionally elucidated. We isolated three candidate genes, CHALCONE SYNTHASE (VmCHS1), ANTHOCYANIDIN SYNTHASE (VmANS) and UDP-GLUCOSE : FLAVONOID-3-O-GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE (VcUFGT2), from Vaccinium, which were predominantly expressed in pigmented fruit skin tissue and showed high homology between bilberry and blueberry. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of Nicotiana benthamiana showed that overexpression of VcMYBA1 in combination with VmANS significantly increased anthocyanin concentration (3-fold). Overexpression of VmCHS1 showed no effect above that induced by VcMYBA1, while VcUFGT2 modulated anthocyanin composition to produce delphinidin-3-galactosylrhamnoside, not naturally produced in tobacco. In strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), combined transient overexpression of VcUFGT2 with a FLAVONOID 3´,5´-HYDROXYLASE from kiwifruit (Actinidia melanandra) modulated the anthocyanin profile to include galactosides and arabinosides of delphinidin and cyanidin, major anthocyanins in blueberry and bilberry. These findings provide insight into the role of the final steps of biosynthesis in modulating anthocyanin production in Vaccinium and may contribute to the targeted breeding of new cultivars with improved nutritional properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han M. Nguyen
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
- University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Joanna Putterill
- University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew P. Dare
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Blue J. Plunkett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Janine Cooney
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Yongyan Peng
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Nick W. Albert
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Richard V. Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Catrin S. Günther
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Hamilton, New Zealand
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3
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Wu C, Deng C, Hilario E, Albert NW, Lafferty D, Grierson ERP, Plunkett BJ, Elborough C, Saei A, Günther CS, Ireland H, Yocca A, Edger PP, Jaakola L, Karppinen K, Grande A, Kylli R, Lehtola VP, Allan AC, Espley RV, Chagné D. A chromosome-scale assembly of the bilberry genome identifies a complex locus controlling berry anthocyanin composition. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 22:345-360. [PMID: 34260155 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) belongs to the Vaccinium genus, which includes blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) and cranberry (V. macrocarpon). Unlike its cultivated relatives, bilberry remains largely undomesticated, with berry harvesting almost entirely from the wild. As such, it represents an ideal target for genomic analysis, providing comparisons with the domesticated Vaccinium species. Bilberry is prized for its taste and health properties and has provided essential nutrition for Northern European indigenous populations. It contains high concentrations of phytonutrients, with perhaps the most important being the purple colored anthocyanins, found in both skin and flesh. Here, we present the first bilberry genome assembly, comprising 12 pseudochromosomes assembled using Oxford Nanopore (ONT) and Hi-C Technologies. The pseudochromosomes represent 96.6% complete BUSCO genes with an assessed LAI score of 16.3, showing a high conservation of synteny against the blueberry genome. Kmer analysis showed an unusual third peak, indicating the sequenced samples may have been from two individuals. The alternate alleles were purged so that the final assembly represents only one haplotype. A total of 36,404 genes were annotated after nearly 48% of the assembly was masked to remove repeats. To illustrate the genome quality, we describe the complex MYBA locus, and identify the key regulating MYB genes that determine anthocyanin production. The new bilberry genome builds on the genomic resources and knowledge of Vaccinium species, to help understand the genetics underpinning some of the quality attributes that breeding programs aspire to improve. The high conservation of synteny between bilberry and blueberry genomes means that comparative genome mapping can be applied to transfer knowledge about marker-trait association between these two species, as the loci involved in key characters are orthologous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wu
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand.,Genomics Aotearoa, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Cecilia Deng
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand.,Genomics Aotearoa, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Elena Hilario
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand.,Genomics Aotearoa, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Declan Lafferty
- PFR, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Blue J Plunkett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Caitlin Elborough
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ali Saei
- BioLumic Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Catrin S Günther
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Hilary Ireland
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alan Yocca
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.,Department of Horticultural Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Patrick P Edger
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Laura Jaakola
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,NIBIO, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Katja Karppinen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Ritva Kylli
- History, Culture and Communication studies, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | - Andrew C Allan
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard V Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David Chagné
- Genomics Aotearoa, Dunedin, New Zealand.,PFR, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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4
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Falginella L, Andre CM, Legay S, Lin-Wang K, Dare AP, Deng C, Rebstock R, Plunkett BJ, Guo L, Cipriani G, Espley RV. Differential regulation of triterpene biosynthesis induced by an early failure in cuticle formation in apple. Hortic Res 2021; 8:75. [PMID: 33790248 PMCID: PMC8012369 DOI: 10.1038/s41438-021-00511-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Waxy apple cuticles predominantly accumulate ursane-type triterpenes, but the profile shifts with the induction of skin russeting towards lupane-type triterpenes. We previously characterised several key enzymes in the ursane-type and lupane-type triterpene pathways, but this switch in triterpene metabolism associated with loss of cuticle integrity is not fully understood. To analyse the relationship between triterpene biosynthesis and russeting, we used microscopy, RNA-sequencing and metabolite profiling during apple fruit development. We compared the skin of three genetically-close clones of 'Golden Delicious' (with waxy, partially russeted and fully russeted skin). We identified a unique molecular profile for the russet clone, including low transcript abundance of multiple cuticle-specific metabolic pathways in the early stages of fruit development. Using correlation analyses between gene transcription and metabolite concentration we found MYB transcription factors strongly associated with lupane-type triterpene biosynthesis. We showed how their transcription changed with the onset of cuticle cracking followed by russeting and that one factor, MYB66, was able to bind the promoter of the oxidosqualene cyclase OSC5, to drive the production of lupeol derivatives. These results provide insights into the breakdown of cuticle integrity leading to russet and how this drives MYB-regulated changes to triterpene biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Falginella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- Research Center, Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Rauscedo, Italy
| | - Christelle M Andre
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Sylvain Legay
- The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Kui Lin-Wang
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew P Dare
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Cecilia Deng
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ria Rebstock
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Blue J Plunkett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lindy Guo
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Guido Cipriani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Richard V Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand.
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5
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Günther CS, Dare AP, McGhie TK, Deng C, Lafferty DJ, Plunkett BJ, Grierson ERP, Turner JL, Jaakola L, Albert NW, Espley RV. Spatiotemporal Modulation of Flavonoid Metabolism in Blueberries. Front Plant Sci 2020; 11:545. [PMID: 32477384 PMCID: PMC7237752 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Blueberries are distinguished by their purple-blue fruit color, which develops during ripening and is derived from a characteristic composition of flavonoid-derived anthocyanin pigments. The production of anthocyanins is confined to fruit skin, leaving the colorless fruit flesh devoid of these compounds. By linking accumulation patterns of phenolic metabolites with gene transcription in Northern Highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) and Rabbiteye (Vaccinium virgatum) blueberry, we investigated factors limiting anthocyanin production in berry flesh. We find that flavonoid production was generally lower in fruit flesh compared with skin and concentrations further declined during maturation. A common set of structural genes was identified across both species, indicating that tissue-specific flavonoid biosynthesis was dependent on co-expression of multiple pathway genes and limited by the phenylpropanoid pathway in combination with CHS, F3H, and ANS as potential pathway bottlenecks. While metabolite concentrations were comparable between the blueberry genotypes when fully ripe, the anthocyanin composition was distinct and depended on the degree of hydroxylation/methoxylation of the anthocyanidin moiety in combination with genotype-specific glycosylation patterns. Co-correlation analysis of phenolic metabolites with pathway structural genes revealed characteristic isoforms of O-methyltransferases and UDP-glucose:flavonoid-3-O-glycosyltransferase that were likely to modulate anthocyanin composition. Finally, we identified candidate transcriptional regulators that were co-expressed with structural genes, including the activators MYBA, MYBPA1, and bHLH2 together with the repressor MYBC2, which suggested an interdependent role in anthocyanin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew P. Dare
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tony K. McGhie
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Cecilia Deng
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Declan J. Lafferty
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Blue J. Plunkett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ella R. P. Grierson
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Janice L. Turner
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Brooklyn, New Zealand
| | - Laura Jaakola
- Climate Laboratory Holt, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Nick W. Albert
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Richard V. Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand
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6
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Plunkett BJ, Henry-Kirk R, Friend A, Diack R, Helbig S, Mouhu K, Tomes S, Dare AP, Espley RV, Putterill J, Allan AC. Apple B-box factors regulate light-responsive anthocyanin biosynthesis genes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17762. [PMID: 31780719 PMCID: PMC6882830 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54166-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmentally-responsive genes can affect fruit red colour via the activation of MYB transcription factors. The apple B-box (BBX) gene, BBX33/CONSTANS-like 11 (COL11) has been reported to influence apple red-skin colour in a light- and temperature-dependent manner. To further understand the role of apple BBX genes, other members of the BBX family were examined for effects on colour regulation. Expression of 23 BBX genes in apple skin was analysed during fruit development. We investigated the diurnal rhythm of expression of the BBX genes, the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes and a MYB activator, MYB10. Transactivation assays on the MYB10 promoter, showed that BBX proteins 1, 17, 15, 35, 51, and 54 were able to directly function as activators. Using truncated versions of the MYB10 promoter, a key region was identified for activation by BBX1. BBX1 enhanced the activation of MYB10 and MdbHLH3 on the promoter of the anthocyanin biosynthetic gene DFR. In transformed apple lines, over-expression of BBX1 reduced internal ethylene content and altered both cyanidin concentration and associated gene expression. We propose that, along with environmental signals, the control of MYB10 expression by BBXs in 'Royal Gala' fruit involves the integration of the expression of multiple BBXs to regulate fruit colour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blue J Plunkett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Rebecca Henry-Kirk
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Adam Friend
- PFR, 55 Old Mill Road, RD 3, Motueka, 7198, New Zealand
| | - Robert Diack
- PFR, 55 Old Mill Road, RD 3, Motueka, 7198, New Zealand
| | - Susanne Helbig
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
- BIOTECON Diagnostics GmbH, Hermannswerder 17, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Katriina Mouhu
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
- Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sumathi Tomes
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew P Dare
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard V Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Joanna Putterill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew C Allan
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
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7
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Plunkett BJ, Espley RV, Dare AP, Warren BAW, Grierson ERP, Cordiner S, Turner JL, Allan AC, Albert NW, Davies KM, Schwinn KE. MYBA From Blueberry ( Vaccinium Section Cyanococcus) Is a Subgroup 6 Type R2R3MYB Transcription Factor That Activates Anthocyanin Production. Front Plant Sci 2018; 9:1300. [PMID: 30254656 PMCID: PMC6141686 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The Vaccinium genus in the family Ericaceae comprises many species, including the fruit-bearing blueberry, bilberry, cranberry, huckleberry, and lingonberry. Commercially, the most important are the blueberries (Vaccinium section Cyanococcus), such as Vaccinium corymbosum (northern highbush blueberry), Vaccinium virgatum (rabbiteye blueberry), and Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry). The rising popularity of blueberries can partly be attributed to their "superfood" status, with an increasing body of evidence around human health benefits resulting from the fruit metabolites, particularly products of the phenylpropanoid pathway such as anthocyanins. Activation of anthocyanin production by R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs) has been characterized in many species, but despite recent studies on blueberry, cranberry, and bilberry, no MYB anthocyanin regulators have been reported for Vaccinium. Indeed, there has been conjecture that at least in bilberry, MYB TFs divergent to the usual type are involved. We report identification of MYBA from blueberry, and show through sequence analysis and functional studies that it is homologous to known anthocyanin-promoting R2R3-MYBs of subgroup 6 of the MYB superfamily. In transient assays, MYBA complemented an anthocyanin MYB mutant of Antirrhinum majus and, together with a heterologous bHLH anthocyanin regulator, activated anthocyanin production in Nicotiana benthamiana. Furthermore anthocyanin accumulation and anthocyanin structural gene expression (assayed by qPCR and RNA-seq analyses) correlated with MYBA expression, and MYBA was able to transactivate the DFR promoter from blueberry and other species. The RNA-seq data also revealed a range of other candidate genes involved in the regulation of anthocyanin production in blueberry fruit. The identification of MYBA will help to resolve the regulatory mechanism for anthocyanin pigmentation in the Vaccinium genus. The sequence information should also prove useful in developing tools for the accelerated breeding of new Vaccinium cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blue J. Plunkett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard V. Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew P. Dare
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ben A. W. Warren
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ella R. P. Grierson
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Cordiner
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Janice L. Turner
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Motueka, New Zealand
| | - Andrew C. Allan
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Nick W. Albert
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Kevin M. Davies
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Kathy E. Schwinn
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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8
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Carrasco-Orellana C, Stappung Y, Mendez-Yañez A, Allan AC, Espley RV, Plunkett BJ, Moya-Leon MA, Herrera R. Characterization of a ripening-related transcription factor FcNAC1 from Fragaria chiloensis fruit. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10524. [PMID: 30002382 PMCID: PMC6043618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28226-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragaria chiloensis is a strawberry endemic from Chile with attractive white-pink fruit, pleasant aroma and taste. However, this fruit has a limited post-harvest period due to fast softening. Several transcription factors (TFs) are involved in the regulation of fruit ripening, and members of the NAC family have been implicated in cell wall remodeling. FcNAC1 was isolated from F. chiloensis fruit, coding a protein of 332 amino acid residues and displaying a characteristic NAC domain at the N terminus. FcNAC1 protein showed nuclear localization. An increase in transcript level was observed during ripening. A sequence of 1488 bp of FcNAC1 promoter was obtained. In silico analysis identified cis elements able to respond to some hormones and Secondary wall NAC binding elements (SNBE), and responding to auxin and ABA. A structural model of FcNAC1 provided evidence for interaction with DNA sequences containing SNBE, while a dual luciferase assay confirmed the transcriptional activation by FcNAC1 of the promoter of FcPL, a gene involved in cell wall remodeling in F. chiloensis fruit. The results suggest the participation of FcNAC1 during ripening development of strawberry fruit, by regulating pectin metabolism during softening.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Carrasco-Orellana
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | - Y Stappung
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | - A Mendez-Yañez
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | - A C Allan
- New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Mt. Albert Research Centre, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - R V Espley
- New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Mt. Albert Research Centre, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
| | - B J Plunkett
- New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Mt. Albert Research Centre, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
| | - M A Moya-Leon
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | - R Herrera
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile.
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