Mutagenesis breeding for increased 3-deoxyanthocyanidin accumulation in leaves of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench: a source of natural food pigment

J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Feb 12;62(6):1227-32. doi: 10.1021/jf405324j. Epub 2014 Feb 3.

Abstract

Natural food colorants with functional properties are of increasing interest. Prior papers indicate the chemical suitability of sorghum leaf 3-deoxyanthocyanidins as natural food colorants. Via mutagenesis-assisted breeding, a sorghum variety that greatly overaccumulates 3-deoxyanthocyanidins of leaf tissue, named REDforGREEN (RG), has been isolated and characterized. Interestingly, RG not only caused increased 3-deoxyanthocyanidins but also caused increased tannins, chlorogenic acid, and total phenolics in the leaf tissue. Chemical composition of pigments was established through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) that identified luteolinidin (LUT) and apigeninidin (APG) as the main 3-deoxyanthocianidin species. Specifically, 3-deoxyanthocianidin levels were 1768 μg g⁻¹ LUT and 421 μg g⁻¹ APG in RG leaves compared with trace amounts in wild type, representing 1000-fold greater levels in the mutant leaves. Thus, RG represents a useful sorghum mutagenesis variant to develop as a functionalized food colorant.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Anthocyanins / analysis
  • Anthocyanins / chemistry
  • Anthocyanins / metabolism*
  • Apigenin / analysis
  • Apigenin / metabolism
  • Breeding / methods*
  • Food Coloring Agents*
  • Mutagenesis
  • Pigments, Biological* / analysis
  • Pigments, Biological* / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Sorghum / genetics*
  • Sorghum / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anthocyanins
  • Food Coloring Agents
  • Pigments, Biological
  • Apigenin
  • apigeninidin
  • luteolinidin