Functional analysis of a dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene in Ophiorrhiza japonica (OjDFR1) reveals its role in the regulation of anthocyanin

FvDFR2 rather than FvDFR1 play key roles for anthocyanin synthesis in strawberry petioles

The accumulation of anthocyanins can be found in both the fruit and petioles of strawberries, but the fruit appears red while the petioles appear purple-red. Additionally, in the white-fruited diploid strawberries, the petioles can accumulate anthocyanins normally, suggesting a different synthesis pattern between the petioles and fruits. We screened the EMS mutagenized population of a red-fruited diploid strawberry 'Ruegen' and discovered a mutant which showed no anthocyanin accumulation in the petioles but normal accumulation in the fruit. Through BSA sequencing and allelic test, it was found that a mutation in FvDFR2 was responsible for this phenotype. Furthermore, the complex formed by the interaction between the petiole-specific FvMYB10L and FvTT8 only binds the promoter of FvDFR2 but not FvDFR1, resulting in the expression of only FvDFR2 in the petiole. FvDFR2 can catalyze the conversion of DHQ and eventually the formation of cyanidin and peonidin, giving the petiole a purplish-red color. In the fruit, however, both FvDFR1 and FvDFR2 can be expressed, which can mediate the synthesis of cyanidin and pelargonidin. Our study clearly reveals different regulation of FvDFR1 and FvDFR2 in mediating anthocyanin synthesis in petioles and fruits.

Integrated analysis of metabolome and transcriptome reveals key candidate genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis in Pinellia ternata under heat stress

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit. is an important traditional Chinese medicinal herb and very sensitive to high temperatures. To gain a better understanding of flavonoid biosynthesis under heat stress in P. ternata, we performed integrated analyses of metabolome and transcriptome data. P. ternata plants were subjected to a temperature of 38 °C, and samples were collected after 10 d of treatment. A total of 502 differential accumulated metabolites and 5040 different expressed transcripts were identified, with flavonoid biosynthesis predominantly enriched. Integrated metabolomics and transcriptome analysis showed that high temperature treatment upregulated the expression of CYP73A and downregulated the expression of other genes (such as HCT, CCoAOMT, DFR1, DFR2), which might inhibit the biosynthesis of the downstream metabolome, including such metabolites as chlorogenic acid, pelargonidin, cyanidin, and (-)-epigallocatechin in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. The transcription expression levels of these genes were validated by real-time PCR. Our results provide valuable insights into flavonoid composition and accumulation patterns and the candidate genes participating in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways under heat stress in P. ternata.

The heat shock factor GhHSFA4a positively regulates cotton resistance to Verticillium dahliae

Heat shock factors (HSFs) play a crucial role in the environmental stress responses of numerous plant species, including defense responses to pathogens; however, their role in cotton resistance to Verticillium dahliae remains unclear. We have previously identified several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Arabidopsis thaliana after inoculation with V. dahliae. Here, we discovered that GhHSFA4a in Gossypium hirsutum (cotton) after inoculation with V. dahliae shares a high identity with a DEG in A. thaliana in response to V. dahliae infection. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that GhHSFA4a expression was rapidly induced by V. dahliae and ubiquitous in cotton roots, stems, and leaves. In a localization analysis using transient expression, GhHSFA4a was shown to be localized to the nucleus. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) revealed that downregulation of GhHSFA4a significantly increased cotton susceptibility to V. dahliae. To investigate GhHSFA4a-mediated defense, 814 DEGs were identified between GhHSFA4a-silenced plants and controls using comparative RNA-seq analysis. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that DEGs were enriched in "flavonoid biosynthesis", "sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis", "linoleic acid metabolism" and "alpha-linolenic acid metabolism". The expression levels of marker genes for these four pathways were triggered after inoculation with V. dahliae. Moreover, GhHSFA4a-overexpressing lines of A. thaliana displayed enhanced resistance against V. dahliae compared to that of the wild type. These results indicate that GhHSFA4a is involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites and signal transduction, which are indispensable for innate immunity against V. dahliae in cotton.