Work

AoMYB114 transcription factor regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in the epidermis of tender asparagus stems

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Asparagus is a precious vegetable, and its edible part is a tender stem. The color of the tender stem epidermis is an important trait of asparagus. Particularly, purple asparagus is rich in anthocyanins. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin accumulation in purple asparagus remain unclear. In this study, the white variety 'Jinguan' (JG), the green variety 'Fengdao 2' (FD), and the purple variety 'Jingzilu 2' (JZ) were compared using physiological methods and transcriptomic analysis. Cyanidin-like was detected as the main anthocyanin in JZ using high-performance liquid chromatography. Transcriptome data demonstrated that 4,694 and 9,427 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the JZ versus FD and JZ versus JG control groups, respectively. These DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways, including phenylalanine metabolism, phenylpropane biosynthesis, and flavonoid biosynthesis. A total of 29 structural genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis were identified. The expression of these structural genes was higher in JZ than in FD and JG. It activated the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. This difference in expression was confirmed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, a candidate gene, AoMYB114, was screened based on transcriptomic data. The AoMYB114 expression was associated with anthocyanin accumulation in different tissues. Further research found that AoMYB114 overexpression activated the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. It promoted leaf pigment accumulation in transgenic Arabidopsis. Therefore, AoMYB114 positively regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis. This study laid a reliable molecular genetic basis to explore the purple epidermal traits of asparagus. It significantly improves the quality of asparagus and its health functions.

Source: Frontiers in Plant Science

DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1531574