RNA-Seq reveals the key pathways and genes involved in the light-regulated flavonoids biosynthesis in mango (Mangifera indica L.) peel

Minjie Qian; Hongxia Wu; Chengkun Yang; Wencan Zhu; Bin Shi; Bin Zheng; Songbiao Wang; Kaibing Zhou; Aiping Gao

doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.1119384

RNA-Seq reveals the key pathways and genes involved in the light-regulated flavonoids biosynthesis in mango (Mangifera indica L.) peel

Front Plant Sci. 2023 Jan 18:13:1119384. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1119384. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Minjie Qian¹, Hongxia Wu², Chengkun Yang^{1

3}, Wencan Zhu^{1

3}, Bin Shi^{1

3}, Bin Zheng², Songbiao Wang², Kaibing Zhou^{1

3}, Aiping Gao⁴

Affiliations

¹ Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Sanya, China.
² Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Quality Regulation of Tropical Horticultural Crop in Hainan Province, School of Horticulture, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
⁴ Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences & Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement in Southern China, Haikou, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Flavonoids are important water soluble secondary metabolites in plants, and light is one of the most essential environmental factors regulating flavonoids biosynthesis. In the previous study, we found bagging treatment significantly inhibited the accumulation of flavonols and anthocyanins but promoted the proanthocyanidins accumulation in the fruit peel of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivar 'Sensation', while the relevant molecular mechanism is still unknown.

Methods: In this study, RNA-seq was conducted to identify the key pathways and genes involved in the light-regulated flavonoids biosynthesis in mango peel.

Results: By weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), 16 flavonoids biosynthetic genes were crucial for different flavonoids compositions biosynthesis under bagging treatment in mango. The higher expression level of LAR (mango026327) in bagged samples might be the reason why light inhibits proanthocyanidins accumulation in mango peel. The reported MYB positively regulating anthocyanins biosynthesis in mango, MiMYB1, has also been identified by WGCNA in this study. Apart from MYB and bHLH, ERF, WRKY and bZIP were the three most important transcription factors (TFs) involved in the light-regulated flavonoids biosynthesis in mango, with both activators and repressors. Surprisingly, two HY5 transcripts, which are usually induced by light, showed higher expression level in bagged samples.

Discussion: Our results provide new insights of the regulatory effect of light on the flavonoids biosynthesis in mango fruit peel.

Keywords: RNA-seq; bagging treatment; flavonoids; mango; transcription factor.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 32160678), the Major Science and Technology Plan of Hainan Province (grant number: ZDKJ2021014), Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers: 322RC568; 320QN192), the National Key Research and Development Plan of China (grant numbers: 2018YFD1000504; 2019YFD1000504), Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund (grant number: ZDYF2022XDNY255), the Scientific Research Foundation of Hainan University (grant number: KYQD(ZR)20053), and the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (grant number: CARS-31).