Biosynthesis and regulation of anthocyanin pathway genes

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2022 Mar;106(5-6):1783-1798. doi: 10.1007/s00253-022-11835-z. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Abstract

Anthocyanins are the phenolic compounds responsible for coloring pigments in fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins offer a wide range of health benefits to human health. Their scope has expanded dramatically in the past decade, making anthocyanin control, influx, and outflow regulation fascinating for many researchers. The main culprit is anthocyanin stability and concentration form, which demands novel ways because these are critical in the food industry. This review aims to examine anthocyanin synthesis via triggering transcription genes that code for anthocyanin-producing enzymes. The balance between production and breakdown determines anthocyanin accumulation. Thus, increasing the anthocyanin content in food requires the stability of molecules in the vacuolar lumen, the pigment fading process, and a better understanding of the mechanism. The promising option is biosynthesis by metabolically engineered microorganisms with a lot of success. This study aims to look into and evaluate the existing literature on anthocyanin production, namely the biosynthesis of anthocyanin pathway genes, production by microbial cell factories, and the regulatory factors that can modulate the production of anthocyanins. Understanding these mechanisms will provide new biotechnological approaches.Key points• Factors affecting the regulation of anthocyanins• Focus on degradation, biosynthesis pathway genes, and alternative systems for the production of anthocyanins• Microbial cell factories can be used to produce large amounts of anthocyanins.

Keywords: Anthocyanins; Biosynthesis; Degradation; Pathway genes; Regulation; Stability.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anthocyanins* / metabolism
  • Biosynthetic Pathways / genetics
  • Fruit* / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Humans
  • Pigmentation
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Vegetables

Substances

  • Anthocyanins
  • Plant Proteins