Article
Plant Sciences
Jieyu Qian, Lingli Jiang, Hongsheng Qing, Jiahong Chen, Ziyun Wan, Menghan Xu, Jianxin Fu, Chao Zhang
Summary: The petal color in Zinnia elegans is determined by the accumulation of anthocyanins, especially cyanidins. The transcription factor ZeMYB9 from subgroup 6 was identified as a positive regulator of anthocyanin accumulation, and it can activate the expression of ZeF3'H, enhancing cyanidin synthesis and regulating petal color in Z. elegans. ZeMYB9 was also found to interact with the bHLH transcription factor ZeGL3, further promoting the promoter activity of ZeF3'H and inducing anthocyanin accumulation in tobacco leaves.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chengcai Zhang, Huadong Ren, Xiaohua Yao, Kailiang Wang, Jun Chang
Summary: This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying flavonoid biosynthesis in pecan nuts and identified key genes and transcription factors that showed high correlation with flavonoid content. These findings are important for understanding the biosynthesis of flavonoids and accelerating the breeding of high-quality pecan varieties.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jifang Zhang, Jian Zhao, Qunyun Tan, Xiaojun Qiu, Shiyong Mei
Summary: This study identified key genes and transcription factors related to anthocyanin biosynthesis in different colored radish accessions. The expression levels of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes were significantly upregulated in red- and purple-colored accessions, while downregulated or absent in white and black accessions. The correlation test revealed specific structural genes and transcription factors significantly correlated with flavonoids and metabolites in the skin and flesh of the radishes. These findings provide a foundation for future studies on genetic diversity and gene functions in radish pigmentation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shuigen Li, Jiaying Zhang, Liqing Zhang, Xianping Fang, Jun Luo, Haishan An, Xueying Zhang
Summary: In this study, lncRNAs in the southern highbush blueberry were identified using strand-specific RNA sequencing. The findings showed that blueberry lncRNAs had distinct characteristics compared to protein-coding RNAs and exhibited stage-specific expression patterns during fruit development. The study also revealed that lncRNAs may play important roles in fruit expansion and ripening in blueberries.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Declan J. Lafferty, Richard Espley, Cecilia H. Deng, Andrew P. Dare, Catrin S. Guenther, Laura Jaakola, Katja Karppinen, Murray R. Boase, Lei Wang, Henry Luo, Andrew C. Allan, Nick W. Albert
Summary: This study identified activator and repressor transcription factors (TFs) that regulate the production of anthocyanins, pigment compounds that positively affect human health, in blueberry and bilberry fruits. MYBA1 activates the pathway while MYBC2.1 represses it. These TFs operate within a hierarchical regulatory network, and the absence of this module in blueberry flesh results in a lack of anthocyanins.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Declan J. Lafferty, Richard Espley, Cecilia H. Deng, Catrin S. Gunther, Blue Plunkett, Janice L. Turner, Laura Jaakola, Katja Karppinen, Andrew C. Allan, Nick W. Albert
Summary: Members of the Vaccinium genus, such as blueberry and bilberry, have different concentrations and localization of anthocyanins due to the expression of key regulatory genes MYBPA1.1 and MYBA1. Blueberry lacks VcMYBA1 expression, resulting in insufficient VcMYBPA1.1 for anthocyanin regulation, while bilberry expresses VmMYBA1 which up-regulates VmMYBPA1.1 for coordinated regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis genes and anthocyanin accumulation.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jieni Li, Quanya Tan, Maosheng Yi, Zhengnan Yu, Qing Xia, Lu Zheng, Jianjun Chen, Xiaoyun Zhou, Xiang-Qian Zhang, He-Rong Guo
Summary: This study analyzed eight cultivars with different spathe colors and found that increased expression of transcription factor AaMYB2 was associated with elevated levels of anthocyanin in spathes, while decreased expression of AaMYB2 and increased expression of AaLAR and AaANR were accompanied with the accumulation of colorless proanthocyanidin, resulting in white spathes. The green spathes were attributed to the higher chlorophyll content and the increased expression of chlorophyll biosynthesis-related genes AaHemB and AaPor. A working model for the formation of white and green spathes was proposed.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yuxia Lou, Qiyu Zhang, Qingyu Xu, Xinyu Yu, Wenxin Wang, Ruonan Gai, Feng Ming
Summary: Flower breeders are improving methods for producing high-quality flowers. Phalaenopsis orchids are commercially important, and genetic engineering technology can enhance floral traits. However, molecular techniques for breeding new Phalaenopsis species are not widely used.
Article
Horticulture
Wuwu Wen, Haimeng Fang, Lingqi Yue, Muhammad Khalil-Ur-Rehman, Yiqi Huang, Zhaoxuan Du, Guoshun Yang, Yanshuai Xu
Summary: The most common bud sport trait in grapevines is the change in color of grape berry skin, which is mainly regulated by the MYBA gene and the synthesis of anthocyanins. In this study, the expressions of genes related to grape berry bud sport skin color were evaluated using RNA-Seq technology, and it was found that the VvMYBA1/A2 gene was highly expressed in red grape varieties compared to white grape varieties at the veraison stage. Additionally, a specific gene (gene ID: Vitvi19g01871) showed the highest expressions in all samples, and its high expression level may play an important role in the bud sport color of grape berry skin at the veraison stage.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Akifumi Azuma, Shozo Kobayashi
Summary: The difference in skin and flesh color between the black-skinned and red-fleshed grape varieties 'Brazil' and 'Benitaka' cannot be explained by genomic alteration at the VvMYBA loci. The decrease in DNA methylation levels in the 3’ LTR of the VvMYBA1BEN allele in 'Brazil' leads to increased expression levels of VvMYBA1 and anthocyanin accumulation in the skin and flesh. Additionally, the skin and flesh colors are inherited together and vary depending on the presence or absence of the VvMYBA1BEN allele.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hai-Xiang Jin, Ming Jiang, Jian-Feng Yang, Zhi-Hao Wu, Long-Long Ma, Cong-Cong Wang, Chen Liang, Xin-Yi Ning, Liang-Fa Ge, Shu Chen
Summary: This study collected a novel biotype of Zoysia japonica, YueNong-9 (YN-9), and conducted comprehensive research on its characteristics. The results showed that YN-9 exhibited longer leaves, higher cold tolerance, and increased chlorophyll content compared to the popular Z. japonica cultivar LanYin-3 (LY-3) in Southern China.
Article
Plant Sciences
Phillip E. McClean, Rian Lee, Kevin Howe, Caroline Osborne, Jane Grimwood, Shawn Levy, Amanda Peters Haugrud, Chris Plott, Melanie Robinson, Ryan M. Skiba, Tabassum Tanha, Mariam Zamani, Theodore W. Thannhauser, Raymond P. Glahn, Jeremy Schmutz, Juan M. Osorno, Phillip N. Miklas
Summary: The V gene in common bean plays a crucial role in controlling seed coat and flower color and flavonoid content. It encodes the enzyme F3'5'H, which is important for the expression of flavonoids. The V gene has evolved independently in two bean gene pools and has homologs in Viridiplantae.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Felix J. Martinez-Rivas, Rosario Blanco-Portales, Maria P. Serratosa, Pablo Ric-Varas, Victor Guerrero-Sanchez, Laura Medina-Puche, Lourdes Moyano, Jose A. Mercado, Saleh Alseekh, Jose L. Caballero, Alisdair R. R. Fernie, Juan Munoz-Blanco, Francisco J. J. Molina-Hidalgo
Summary: In this study, the strawberry transcription factor FaMYB123 was found to be regulated by ABA and auxin, and it plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins/flavonoids.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gang Wang, Wenxin Weng, Zhanhui Jia, Jiyu Zhang, Tao Wang, Jiping Xuan
Summary: This study used RNA-Seq technique to analyze the transcriptome of plum pulp color changes and identified genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and anthocyanin biosynthesis that contribute to pulp color. The findings provide a basis for further studies on plum pulp color and enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in pulp.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
Yuqin Liang, Changzhi Han, Liu Yun, Yang Yang, Yanpo Cao
Summary: Anthocyanin pigments in purple asparagus spears fade under high temperature conditions, which is attributed to the reduced expression of genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that high temperatures led to a decrease in anthocyanin metabolites and the downregulation of key genes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. The redirection of metabolic flux from the anthocyanin branch to the lignin biosynthetic branch under high temperatures restricted anthocyanin synthesis.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Laura Boettner, Antonino Malacrino, Christian Schulze Gronover, Nicole van Deenen, Boje Mueller, Shuqing Xu, Jonathan Gershenzon, Dirk Pruefer, Meret Huber
Summary: Natural rubber affects the resistance of Russian dandelion to root herbivory and alters the root microbiota. Transgenic plants with reduced rubber content are more susceptible to herbivory, while adding purified rubber can deter feeding and reduce larval weight gain.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hui Lyu, Yu Chen, Jonathan Gershenzon, Christian Paetz
Summary: In this study, we discovered that Phenylphenalenones (PPs) are major components of the seed coats of Musella lasiocarpa. We also identified two previously unknown PP dimers (M-4 and M-6) and a group of unreported diarylheptanoid derivatives (musellins A-F), which provide a good system for studying the biosynthesis of PPs.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Toni Krause, Piera Wiesinger, Diego Gonzalez-Cabanelas, Nathalie Lackus, Tobias G. Koellner, Thomas Kluepfel, Jonathan Williams, Johann Rohwer, Jonathan Gershenzon, Axel Schmidt
Summary: This study investigated the major HDR isoforms in Norway spruce and gray poplar to determine their regulation of isoprenoid formation. The results showed that Norway spruce has two different HDR isoforms, with one producing more IDP for carotenoid and chlorophyll production, and the other producing more DMADP for specialized metabolites. Gray poplar, on the other hand, has only one dominant isoform that produces more DMADP, potentially explaining its high rate of isoprene emission.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mengyu Liu, Gaojie Hong, Huijing Li, Xiaoli Bing, Yumeng Chen, Xiangfeng Jing, Jonathan Gershenzon, Yonggen Lou, Ian T. Baldwin, Ran Li
Summary: Plants produce chemical defenses to poison or deter insect herbivores, but these defenses may also affect the beneficial endosymbionts of the herbivores. This study found that rice produces an antifungal flavonoid phytoalexin in response to attack by a pest, which inhibits the pest's beneficial endosymbionts.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dineshkumar Kandasamy, Rashaduz Zaman, Yoko N. Nakamura, Tao Zhao, Henrik Hartmann, Martin Andersson, Almuth Hammerbacher, Jonathan Gershenzon
Summary: In recent years, outbreaks of the Eurasian spruce bark beetle have caused significant damage to conifer forests in Europe. The ability of these insects to kill mature trees is attributed to mass attacks on the host tree and the presence of fungal symbionts. The role of chemical communication in maintaining the fungal symbiosis is poorly understood. This study shows that the fungal symbionts metabolize spruce resin monoterpenes and produce oxygenated derivatives that act as cues for the beetles to locate breeding sites with beneficial symbionts.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yuegui Chen, Qin Yan, Yunheng Ji, Xue Bai, Desen Li, Rongfang Mu, Kai Guo, Minjie Yang, Yang Tao, Jonathan Gershenzon, Yan Liu, Shenghong Li
Summary: This study characterized UDP-glycosyltransferases responsible for biosynthesizing the sugar chain of bioactive steroidal saponins from Paris poly-phylla var. yunnanensis. The UDP-glycosyltransferases showed substrate promiscuity and a mutant with increased catalytic efficiency was obtained. The steroidal saponins exhibited strong antifungal activity, particularly with 20-O-rhamnosylation.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria K. Paulmann, Linus Wegner, Jonathan Gershenzon, Alexandra C. U. Furch, Grit Kunert
Summary: It has been found that pea aphids can suppress the conformational change of forisomes, which are involved in the defense mechanism of legumes against phloem-feeding insects. This ability may be related to the saliva injected into the plants by aphids.
Article
Ecology
Ruo Sun, Benke Hong, Michael Reichelt, Katrin Luck, Duc Tam Mai, Xingcong Jiang, Jonathan Gershenzon, Daniel Giddings Vassao
Summary: Beauveria bassiana is a soil fungus that infects crop pests, but it can still parasitize chemically-defended aphids by detoxifying their toxins through the mercapturic acid pathway. This pathway enhances the growth of B. bassiana when isothiocyanates are present, making it an important factor in parasitization.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gaochen Jin, Jinfeng Qi, Hongyue Zu, Shuting Liu, Jonathan Gershenzon, Yonggen Lou, Ian T. Baldwin, Ran Li
Summary: Plant defense against herbivores is costly and often leads to growth repression. The phytohormone jasmonate (JA) plays a key role in prioritizing defense over growth during herbivore attack, but the mechanisms are not well understood. This study demonstrates that JA signaling enhances gibberellin (GA) catabolism mediated by GA2ox enzymes, resulting in growth inhibition in rice plants attacked by brown planthoppers (BPH). JA signaling activates defense responses and GA catabolism concurrently, optimizing resource allocation in attacked plants and providing a mechanism for phytohormone crosstalk.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrea T. Mueller, Yoko Nakamura, Michael Reichelt, Katrin Luck, Eric Cosio, Nathalie D. Lackus, Jonathan Gershenzon, Axel Mithoefer, Tobias G. Koellner
Summary: The formation and glucosylation of aldoximes are important for plant defense against herbivores and pathogens. Aldoximes are precursors for defense compounds and can also act as defenses themselves. The accumulation of phenylacetaldoxime glucoside (PAOx-Glc) in response to herbivory has been observed in the Neotropical myrmecophyte tococa and other plant species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gazmend Zeneli, Trevor M. Fenning, Jonathan Gershenzon
Summary: Conifer trees increase production of terpene resins in response to herbivores or pathogens, but studying this in the lab is challenging. This study demonstrates that cell cultures of Norway spruce can be a convenient system for studying terpene induction in this species, showing similar but lower levels of monoterpene accumulation compared to intact trees. Treatment with hormones and fungal elicitors increased monoterpene accumulation through increased biosynthesis, suggesting the potential of using cell cultures for studying terpene resin defenses.
Article
Ecology
Stephanie Fiedler, Mathias Langner, Reinhard Oertel, Daniel G. Vassao, Julia Nitschke, Jonathan Gershenzon, Anna K. Hundsdoerfer
Summary: This study found that the insect herbivore, the spurge hawkmoth, and its main larval food plant, the cypress spurge, contain a toxic compound called tigliane ester. The distribution of this compound varies in different parts of the plant, and its concentration increases after larvae feed on the plant's leaves.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xing-Rong Peng, Sybille B. Unsicker, Jonathan Gershenzon, Ming-Hua Qiu
Summary: This review discusses the structures and biosynthesis of Ganoderma meroterpenoids (GMs) newly discovered from 2018 to 2022, as well as the chemical synthesis and biological activity of some interesting GMs. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for GMs is proposed for the first time, which will stimulate further research on the biosynthetic pathway in Ganoderma species and the chemical synthesis of GMs as important bioactive compounds for drug development.
NATURAL PRODUCT REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana L. Medina-Fraga, Lucas A. Chinen, Patricia V. Demkura, Micaela Z. Lichy, Jonathan Gershenzon, Carlos L. Ballare, Carlos D. Crocco
Summary: Light is an important environmental signal for plant defense. In this study, it was found that the transcription factor BBX29 integrates light signaling with defense responses in Arabidopsis. BBX29 promotes the accumulation of flavonoids, sinapate, and glucosinolates in leaves, which are important for plant defense. Genetic evidence indicated that BBX29 up-regulates the expression of key genes involved in flavonoid and glucosinolate biosynthesis. Knockout mutants of bbx29 displayed reduced expression of these genes and increased susceptibility to pathogens and herbivores, while BBX29 overexpression lines showed the opposite. BBX29 also played a role in mediating the effects of UV-B radiation on plant defense.
PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefan Doetterl, Jonathan Gershenzon
Summary: This review summarizes recent advances in floral scent research from chemical, molecular, and ecological perspectives. It focuses on the major chemical classes of floral volatiles, new structures, and recent discoveries regarding biosynthesis and regulation of volatile emission. The review also highlights the various functions of floral volatiles, their impact of abiotic stressors and organisms, and identifies research gaps in the field.
NATURAL PRODUCT REPORTS
(2023)
