Abstract
Key message
SmZHDs was highly expressed in anthocyanin-rich parts of eggplant. SmZHD12 can activate the expression of SmCHS, SmANS, SmDFR and SmF3H. Overexpression of SmZHD12 promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis.
Abstract
The Zinc finger-homeodomain (ZHD) proteins family genes are known to play a significant role in plant development and physiological processes. However, the evolutionary history and function of the ZHD gene family in eggplant remain largely unexplored. This study categorizes a total of 15 SmZHD genes into SmMIF and SmZHD subfamilies based on conserved domains. The phylogeny, gene structure, conserved motifs, promoter elements, and chromosomal locations of the SmZHD genes were comprehensively analyzed. Tissue expression profiles indicate that the majority of SmZHD genes are expressed in anthocyanin-rich areas. qRT-PCR assays revealed distinct expression patterns of SmZHD genes in response to various treatments, indicating their potential involvement in multiple signaling pathways. Analysis of transcriptomic data from light-treated eggplant peel identified SmZHD12 as the most light-responsive gene among the 15 SmZHD genes. Consequently, this study provides further evidence that SmZHD12 facilitates anthocyanin accumulation in Arabidopsis leaves by upregulating the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis structural genes, as confirmed by dual-luciferase assays and Arabidopsis genetic transformation. Our study will lay a solid foundation for the in-depth study of the involvement of SmZHD genes in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis.
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Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province, China (2308085QC100) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32302583).
Funding
This study was funded by the Innovation training project for college students in Anhui province (S202210364181), the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province, China (2308085QC100) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32302583).
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QC, XL, HZ, SL and YH conceptualized and orchestrated the research. SL and YH offered the experimental resources. QC, XL and HZ conducted the bioinformatics validation and the experiments. JW, LD and ZZ performed data curation. QC, XL, HZ, JW and YH drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the enhancement of the manuscript.
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Chen, Q., Liu, X., Zhang, H. et al. Genome-wide characterization of SmZHD gene family and the role of SmZHD12 in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Plant Cell Rep 43, 114 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-024-03195-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-024-03195-x