The Heterologous Expression of the Chrysanthemum R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor CmMYB1 Alters Lignin Composition and Represses Flavonoid Synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana

PLoS One. 2013 Jun 19;8(6):e65680. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065680. Print 2013.

Abstract

Plant R2R3-MYB transcription factor genes are widely distributed in higher plants and play important roles in the regulation of many secondary metabolites at the transcriptional level. In this study, a chrysanthemum subgroup 4 R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene, designated CmMYB1, was isolated through screening chrysanthemum EST (expressed sequence tag) libraries and using rapid application of cDNA ends (RACE) methods and functionally characterized. CmMYB1 is expressed in the root, stem, leaf and flowers, but most strongly in the stem and most weakly in the root. Its heterologous expression in Arabidopsis thaliana reduced the lignin content and altered the lignin composition. The heterologous expression also repressed the flavonoids content in A. thaliana. Together, these results suggested that CmMYB1 is a negative regulator of genes involved in the lignin pathway and flavonoid pathway, it may be a promising gene for controlling lignin and flavonoids profiles in plants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Chrysanthemum / genetics
  • Chrysanthemum / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular / methods*
  • Expressed Sequence Tags
  • Flavonoids / biosynthesis
  • Flowers / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Lignin / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Stems / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Lignin

Grants and funding

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31071820, 31071825), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (KYJ200907, KYZ201112), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Chinese Ministry of Education (Grant No. NCET-10-0492). A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, the Youth Innovation Program of NJAU (KJ2011009), and A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, PAPD. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.