葡萄风信子MaGT1基因的克隆及其表达分析

该研究以葡萄风信子(Muscari ameniacum)‘亚美尼亚’为试材,克隆了花青素合成途径过程中的类黄酮糖基转移酶基因MaGT1(GenBank登录号MK652470)。该基因开放阅读框全长1 338 bp,编码445个氨基酸,预测蛋白分子量为49.301 kD,理论等电点为5.40。结构分析显示,MaGT1蛋白具有PSPG保守结构域、UDP 糖基转移酶家族结构域和UDP 葡萄糖醛酸基/葡萄糖基转移酶保守域(UDPGT)。进化分析表明,MaGT1蛋白与油棕、海枣、葡萄亲缘关系相近,聚类于类黄酮糖苷糖基转移酶类分支,以UDP 葡萄糖/鼠李糖为主要糖供体。花青苷含量测定显示,花青苷仅在葡萄风信子着色的花中积累,在根、鳞茎和叶以及未着色的花蕾(S1)中几乎检测不到花青苷,且随着花的发育,花青苷含量不断增加,并在衰败期(S5)达到最高。荧光定量PCR分析表明,MaGT1基因的表达具有显著的时空特异性,并在花中优势表达,而在根、鳞茎和叶片中微量表达;在花发育不同阶段,MaGT1基因的表达量随着花发育不断增加,并在盛花期达到峰值。研究表明,MaGT1蛋白催化反应是花青素合成途径中的重要修饰步骤。该研究结果为进一步分析MaGT1基因在葡萄风信子花青素合成和调控中的功能提供了依据。     

Engineering of red cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis> and comparative genome-wide gene expression analysis of red cells versus wild-type cells

We report metabolic engineering of Arabidopsis red cells and genome-wide gene expression analysis associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways between red cells and wild-type (WT) cells. Red cells of A. thaliana were engineered for the first time from the leaves of production of anthocyanin pigment 1-Dominant (pap1-D). These red cells produced seven anthocyanin molecules including a new one that was characterized by LC–MS analysis. Wild-type cells established as a control did not produce anthocyanins. A genome-wide microarray analysis revealed that nearly 66 and 65% of genes in the genome were expressed in the red cells and wild-type cells, respectively. In comparison with the WT cells, 3.2% of expressed genes in the red cells were differentially expressed. The expression levels of 14 genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of anthocyanin were significantly higher in the red cells than in the WT cells. Microarray and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the TTG1–GL3/TT8–PAP1 complex regulated the biosynthesis of anthocyanins. Furthermore, most of the genes with significant differential expression levels in the red cells versus the WT cells were characterized with diverse biochemical functions, many of which were mapped to different metabolic pathways (e.g., ribosomal protein biosynthesis, photosynthesis, glycolysis, glyoxylate metabolism, and plant secondary metabolisms) or organelles (e.g., chloroplast). We suggest that the difference in gene expression profiles between the two cell lines likely results from cell types, the overexpression of PAP1, and the high metabolic flux toward anthocyanins.     

Regulation of gene expression involved in flavonol and anthocyanin biosynthesis during petal development in lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum)

To elucidate gene regulation of flower colour formation, the gene expressions of the enzymes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were investigated in correlation with their product during floral development in lisianthus. Full-length cDNA clones of major responsible genes in the central flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, including chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase (F3'5'H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), and flavonol synthase (FLS), were isolated and characterized. In lisianthus, the stage of the accumulation of flavonols and anthocyanins was shown to be divided clearly. The flavonol content increased prior to anthocyanin accumulation during floral development and declined when anthocyanin began to accumulate. CHS, CHI, and F3H were necessary for both flavonol and anthocyanin biosynthesis and were coordinately expressed throughout all stages of floral development; their expressions were activated independently at the stages corresponding to flavonol accumulation and anthocyanin accumulation, respectively. Consistent with flavonol and anthocyanin accumulation patterns, FLS, a key enzyme in flavonol biosynthesis, was expressed prior to the expression of the genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. The genes encoding F3'5'H, DFR, and ANS were expressed at later stages, just before pigmentation. The genes responsible for the flavonoid pathways branching to anthocyanins and flavonols were strictly regulated and were coordinated temporally to correspond to the biosynthetic order of their respective enzymes in the pathways, as well as in specific organs. In lisianthus, FLS and DFR, at the position of branching to flavonols and anthocyanins, were supposed to play a critical role in regulation of each biosynthesis.