Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Micro-Tom plants were transformed with the Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heyhn MYB75/PAP1 (PRODUCTION OF ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENT 1) gene. This gene codifies a transcription factor which is involved in anthocyanin production and is modulated by light and sucrose. The transgenic tomato plants expressing AtMYB75 were characterized by a significantly higher anthocyanin production under normal growth conditions in leaves, stems, roots, flowers and interestingly, in fruits. In the vegetative organs of the transgenic plants, where AtMYB75 overexpression was determined, a clear up-regulation of all the main genes involved in flavonoid pathway was also detected. On the contrary, no effect was produced on the expression of the tomato MYB-gene ANT1 (ANTHOCYANIN1) that had previously been identified as a transcriptional regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Additionally, induction of many but not all the structural genes of the biosynthetic pathway was observed in the fruits. The higher basal content of anthocyanins in the leaves of the transgenic plants could be further increased in the presence of high light conditions and contributed to mitigate photobleaching damages under high irradiance. Transformation of Anthocyanin fruit (Aft) and Ailsa Craig (AC) tomato genotypes were also performed obtaining similar results. Molecular characterizations of these transgenic plants are in progress.
Arabidopsis thaliana MYB75/PAP1 transcription factor induces anthocyanin production in transgenic tomato plants
Zuluaga D;Loreti E;
2008
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Micro-Tom plants were transformed with the Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heyhn MYB75/PAP1 (PRODUCTION OF ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENT 1) gene. This gene codifies a transcription factor which is involved in anthocyanin production and is modulated by light and sucrose. The transgenic tomato plants expressing AtMYB75 were characterized by a significantly higher anthocyanin production under normal growth conditions in leaves, stems, roots, flowers and interestingly, in fruits. In the vegetative organs of the transgenic plants, where AtMYB75 overexpression was determined, a clear up-regulation of all the main genes involved in flavonoid pathway was also detected. On the contrary, no effect was produced on the expression of the tomato MYB-gene ANT1 (ANTHOCYANIN1) that had previously been identified as a transcriptional regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Additionally, induction of many but not all the structural genes of the biosynthetic pathway was observed in the fruits. The higher basal content of anthocyanins in the leaves of the transgenic plants could be further increased in the presence of high light conditions and contributed to mitigate photobleaching damages under high irradiance. Transformation of Anthocyanin fruit (Aft) and Ailsa Craig (AC) tomato genotypes were also performed obtaining similar results. Molecular characterizations of these transgenic plants are in progress.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
