Characterization of the regulatory network of BoMYB2 in controlling anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple cauliflower

Planta. 2012 Oct;236(4):1153-64. doi: 10.1007/s00425-012-1665-3. Epub 2012 May 29.

Abstract

Purple cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) Graffiti represents a unique mutant in conferring ectopic anthocyanin biosynthesis, which is caused by the tissue-specific activation of BoMYB2, an ortholog of Arabidopsis PAP2 or MYB113. To gain a better understanding of the regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis, we investigated the interaction among cauliflower MYB-bHLH-WD40 network proteins and examined the interplay of BoMYB2 with various bHLH transcription factors in planta. Yeast two-hybrid studies revealed that cauliflower BoMYBs along with the other regulators formed the MYB-bHLH-WD40 complexes and BobHLH1 acted as a bridge between BoMYB and BoWD40-1 proteins. Different BoMYBs exhibited different binding activity to BobHLH1. Examination of the BoMYB2 transgenic lines in Arabidopsis bHLH mutant backgrounds demonstrated that TT8, EGL3, and GL3 were all involved in the BoMYB2-mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis. Expression of BoMYB2 in Arabidopsis caused up-regulation of AtTT8 and AtEGL3 as well as a subset of anthocyanin structural genes encoding flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, and leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase. Taken together, our results show that MYB-bHLH-WD40 network transcription factors regulated the bHLH gene expression, which may represent a critical feature in the control of anthocyanin biosynthesis. BoMYB2 together with various BobHLHs specifically regulated the late anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes for anthocyanin biosynthesis. Our findings provide additional information for the complicated regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis and the transcriptional regulation of transcription factors in vegetable crops.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Anthocyanins / biosynthesis
  • Anthocyanins / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Biosynthetic Pathways / genetics
  • Brassica / genetics*
  • Brassica / metabolism
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Flowers / genetics
  • Flowers / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics
  • Gene Regulatory Networks / genetics*
  • Meristem / genetics
  • Meristem / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Organ Specificity
  • Oxygenases / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Seedlings / genetics
  • Seedlings / metabolism
  • Seeds / genetics
  • Seeds / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Anthocyanins
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Plant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Alcohol Oxidoreductases
  • dihydroflavanol 4-reductase
  • Oxygenases
  • leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase
  • flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase