Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The myb transcription factor MdMYB6 suppresses anthocyanin biosynthesis in transgenic Arabidopsis

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The R2R3-Myb proteins comprise a large family of plant transcription factors that regulate the expression of multiple drought-responsive and cold-responsive genes by binding special cis-elements at the promoter. There have been previous studies in transgenic plant over-expression of the myb protein. In this article, we analyzed the function of MdMYB6, an R2R3-type Myb transcription factor from apples (Malus × domestica), in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. In contrast to wild type plants, these transgenic lines accumulated less anthocyanin. Equimolar concentrations of sorbitol did not alter the anthocyanin accumulation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) indicated that MdMYB6 over-expression suppressed enzymes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and some Arabidopsis basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) genes. The MdMYB6 transcription faction may be an important repressor of anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baier M, Hemmann G, Holman R, Corke F, Card R, Smith C, Rook F, Bevan MW (2004) Characterization of mutants in Arabidopsis showing increased sugar-specific gene expression, growth, and developmental responses. Plant Physiol 134:81–91

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ban Y, Honda C, Hatsuyama Y, Igarashi M, Bessho H, Moriguchi T (2007) Isolation and functional analysis of a MYB transcription factor gene that is a key regulator for the development of red coloration in apple skin. Plant Cell Physiol 48(7):958–970

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baud S, Vaultier MN, Rochat C (2004) Structure and expression profile of the sucrose synthase multigene family in Arabidopsis. J Exp Bot 55:397–409

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borevitz JO, Xia Y, Blount J, Dixon RA, Lamb C (2000) Activation tagging identifies a conserved MYB regulator of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Plant Cell 12:2383–2394

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Broun P (2004) Transcription factors as tools for metabolic engineering in plants. Curr Opin Plant Biol 7:202–209

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carey CC, Strahle JT, Selinger DA, Chandler VL (2004) Mutations in the pale aleurone color1 regulatory gene of the Zea mays anthocyanin pathway have distinct phenotypes relative to the functionally similar TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell 16:450–464

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandran D, Reinders A, Ward JM (2003) Substrate specificity of the Arabidopsis thaliana sucrose transporter AtSUC2. J Biol Chem 278:44320–44325

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen YH, Yang XY, He K, Liu MH, Li JG, Gao ZF, Lin ZQ, Zhang YF, Wang XX, Qiu XM, Shen YP, Zhang L, Deng XH, Luo JC, Deng XW, Chen ZL, Gu HY, Qu L-J (2006) The MYB transcription factor superfamily of Arabidopsis: expression analysis and phylogenetic comparison with the rice MYB family. Plant Mol Biol 60(1):107–124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Déjardin A, Sokolov LN, Kleczkowski LA (1999) Sugar/osmoticum levels modulate differential abscisic acid-independent expression of two stress-responsive sucrose synthase genes in Arabidopsis. Biochem J 344(Pt 2):503–509

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Espley RV, Hellens RP, Putterill J, Stevenson DE, Kutty-Amma S, Allan AC (2007) Red colouration in apple fruit is due to the activity of the MYB transcription factor, MdMYB10. Plant J. 49:414–427

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gollop R, Even S, Colova-Tsolova V, Perl A (2002) Expression of the grape dihydroflavonol reductase gene and analysis of its promoter region. J Exp Bot 53:1397–1409

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez A, Zhao M, Leavitt JM, Lloyd AM (2008) Regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway by the TTG1/bHLH/Myb transcriptional complex in Arabidopsis seedlings. Plant J 53(5):814–827

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han YP, Vimolmangkang S, Soria-Guerra RE, Rosales-Mendoza S, Zheng D, Lygin AV, Korban SS (2010) Ectopic expression of apple F3′H genes contributes to anthocyanin accumulation in the Arabidopsis tt7 mutant grown under nitrogen stress. Plant Physiol 153(2):806–820

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hellens RP, Allan AC, Friel EN, Bolitho K, Grafton K, Templeton MD, Karunairetnam S, Gleave AP, Laing WA (2005) Transient expression vectors for functional genomics, quantification of promoter activity and RNA silencing in plants. Plant Methods 1:13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holton TA, Cornish EC (1995) Genetics and biochemistry of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Plant Cell 7:1071–1083

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huijser C, Kortstee A, Pego J, Weisbeek P, Wisman E, Smeekens S (2000) The Arabidopsis SUCROSE UNCOUPLED-6 gene is identical to ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE-4: involvement of abscisic acid in sugar responses. Plant J 23:577–585

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jang JC, León P, Zhou L, Sheen J (1997) Hexokinase as a sugar sensor in higher plants. Plant Cell 9:5–19

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin H, Cominelli E, Bailey P, Parr A, Mehrtens F, Jones J, Tonelli C, Weisshaar B, Martin C (2000) Transcriptional repression by AtMYB4 controls production of UV-protecting sunscreens in Arabidopsis. EMBO J 19:6150–6161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koes R, Verweij W, Quattrocchio F (2005) Flavonoids: a colorful model for the regulation and evolution of biochemical pathways. Trends Plant Sci 10:236–242

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin C, Paz-Ares J (1997) MYB transcription factors in plants. Trends Genet 13(2):67–73

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matsui K, Tanaka H, Ohme-Takagi M (2004) Suppression of the biosynthesis of proanthocyanidin in Arabidopsis by a chimeric PAP1 repressor. Plant Biotechnol J 2:487–493

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer S, Lauterbach C, Niedermeier M, Barth I, Sjolund RD, Sauer N (2004) Wounding enhances expression of AtSUC3, a sucrose transporter from Arabidopsis sieve elements and sink tissues. Plant Physiol 134:684–693

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mita S, Hirano H, Nakamura K (1997) Negative regulation in the expression of a sugar-inducible gene in Arabidopsis thaliana: a recessive mutation causing enhanced expression of a gene for beta-amylase. Plant Physiol 114:575–582

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nesi N, Debeaujon I, Jond C, Pelletier G, Caboche M, Lepiniec L (2000) The TT8 gene encodes a basic helix-loop-helix domain protein required for expression of DFR and BAN genes in Arabidopsis siliques. Plant Cell 12:1863–1878

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohto M, Onai K, Furukawa Y, Aoki E, Araki T, Nakamura K (2001) Effects of sugar on vegetative development and floral transition in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 127:252–261

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park KL, Ishikawa N, Morita Y, Choi JD, Hoshino A, Iida S (2007) A bHLH regulatory gene in the common morning glory, Ipomoea purpurea, controls anthocyanin biosynthesis in flowers, proanthocyanidin and phytomelanin pigmentation in seeds, and seed trichome formation. Plant J 49(4):641–654

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsay NA, Glover BJ (2005) MYB-bHLH-WD40 protein complex and the evolution of cellular diversity. Trends Plant Sci 10:63–70

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schulze W, Weise A, Frommer WB, Ward JM (2000) Function of the cytosolic N-terminus of sucrose transporter AtSUT2 in substrate affinity. FEBS Lett 485:189–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shirley BW, Kubasek WL, Storz G, Bruggemann E, Koornneef M, Ausubel FM, Goodman HM (1995) Analysis of Arabidopsis mutants deficient in flavonoid biosynthesis. Plant J 8:659–671

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sivitz AB, Reinders A, Ward JM (2008) Arabidopsis sucrose transporter AtSUC1 is important for pollen germination and sucrose-induced anthocyanin accumulation. Plant Physiol 147:92–100

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teng S, Keurentjes J, Bentsink L, Koornneef M, Smeekens S (2005) Sucrose-specific induction of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis requires the MYB75/PAP1 gene. Plant Physiol 139:1840–1852

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsukaya H, Ohshima T, Naito S, Chino M, Komeda Y (1991) Sugar-dependent expression of the CHS-A gene for chalcone synthase from petunia in transgenic Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 97:1414–1421

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wade HK, Sohal AK, Jenkins GI (2003) Arabidopsis ICX1 is a negative regulator of several pathways regulating flavonoid biosynthesis genes. Plant Physiol 131:707–715

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ward JM, Kühn C, Tegeder M, Frommer WB (1998) Sucrose transport in higher plants. Int Rev Cytol 178:41–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winkel-Shirley B (2001) Flavonoid biosynthesis. A colorful model for genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, and biotechnology. Plant Physiol 126(2):485–493

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Henriques R, Lin SS, Niu QW, Chua NH (2006) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana using the floral dip method. Nat Protoc 1:641–646

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu B, Xiong AS, Peng RH, Xu J, Zhou J, Xu JT, Jin XF, Zhang Y, Hou XL, Yao QH (2008) Heat stress protection in Aspen sp1 transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. BMB Rep 41(5):382–387

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Shanghai National Natural Science Foundation (30670179, 30800602, 08ZR1417200); 863 Program (2006AA10Z117, 2006AA06Z358, 2008AA10Z401); Shanghai Project for ISTC (08540706500); The Key Project Fund of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of Agriculture (No. 2008-7-5); and The Shanghai Rising-Star Program (08QH14021).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Jian-Jie Gao, Xue-Fang Shen, Zhen Zhang, Jing Xu, Jian-Li Zheng & Quan-Hong Yao

  2. Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 201106, China

    Jian-Jie Gao, Xue-Fang Shen, Ri-He Peng, Ai-Sheng Xiong, Bo Zhu & Quan-Hong Yao

  3. Biotechnology Research Institute of Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2901 Beidi Road, 201106, Shanghai, China

    Quan-Hong Yao

Authors
  1. Jian-Jie Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xue-Fang Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhen Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ri-He Peng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ai-Sheng Xiong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jing Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Bo Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jian-Li Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Quan-Hong Yao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Quan-Hong Yao.

Additional information

J.-J. Gao and X.-F. Shen contributed equally to this article.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gao, JJ., Shen, XF., Zhang, Z. et al. The myb transcription factor MdMYB6 suppresses anthocyanin biosynthesis in transgenic Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 106, 235–242 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9912-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9912-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation