Increased accumulation and decreased catabolism of anthocyanins in red grape cell suspension culture following magnesium treatment

Anthocyanins are the largest and best studied group of plant pigments. However, not very much is known about the fate of these phenolic pigments after they have accumulated in the cell vacuoles of plant tissues. We have previously shown that magnesium treatment of ornamentals during the synthesis of anthocyanins in the flowers or foliage caused an increase in the pigment concentration. In this study, we characterized the effect of magnesium on the accumulation of anthocyanin in red cell suspension originating from Vitis vinifera cv. Gamay Red grapes. Magnesium treatment of the cells caused a 2.5- to 4.5-fold increase in anthocyanin concentration, with no substantial induction of the biosynthetic genes. This treatment inhibited the degradation of anthocyanins occurring in the cells, and changed the ratio between different anthocyanins determining cell color, with an increase in the relative concentration of the less stable pigment molecules. The process by which magnesium treatment affects anthocyanin accumulation is still not clear. However, the results presented suggest at least part of its effect on anthocyanin accumulation stems from inhibition of the pigments’ catabolism. When anthocyanin biosynthesis was inhibited, magnesium treatments prevented the constant degradation of anthocyanins in the cell suspension. Future understanding of the catabolic processes undergone by anthocyanins in plants may enable more efficient inhibition of this process and increased accumulation of these pigments, and possibly of additional phenolic compounds.