Flavonoid Pigments as Tools in Molecular Genetics

Anthocyanin mutants of Japanese and common morning glories exhibit normal proanthocyanidin accumulation in seed coats

“…These genes, however, are essential to anthocyanin production in flowers and stems (Table 2) (Chopra et al 2006;Habu et al 1998;Hoshino et al 2009;Iida et al 2004;Inagaki et al 1994). Our previous study similarly showed that DFR-B in I. nil is not essential for proanthocyanidin accumulation in seed coats, but essential for anthocyanin pigmentation (Park and Hoshino 2012).…”

“…Negative controls for the proanthocyanidin assay were recessive InWDR1 and IpbHLH2 mutants of I. nil (NS/W1ca1) and I. purpurea (YJH/ WR-4); both produce ivory seeds that do not accumulate proanthocyanidins (Morita et al 2006;Park et al 2007). The study also used lines AK19 (Ginsekai; Takii & Co., Ltd., Kyoto Japan), AK40, AK10, and AK23 (r3) that were, respectively, I. nil CHS-D, CHI, DFR-B, and ANS mutants (Chopra et al 2006;Habu et al 1998;Hoshino et al 2001Hoshino et al , 2009Iida et al 2004;Inagaki et al 1994). The I. purpurea CHS-D mutant (PR640) was also included.…”

“…Wild type I. nil and I. purpurea have blue and purple flowers, respectively (Figure 2A, J), through the production of anthocyanins. Several mutations resulting in flower-color alterations have been isolated in these species (Chopra et al 2006;Iida et al 2004), allowing for characterization of the structural and regulatory genes for anthocyanin biosynthesis (Koes et al 2005;Petroni and Tonelli 2011). Structural genes, CHS-D, CHI, DFR-B, and ANS in I. nil, as well as CHS-D in I. purpurea, are essential for flower and stem anthocyanin production ( Figure 2B-F, K) (Chopra et al 2006;Habu et al 1998;Hoshino et al 2009;Iida et al 2004;Inagaki et al 1994), but their exact roles in proanthocyanidin production are unclear.…”

“…Several mutations resulting in flower-color alterations have been isolated in these species (Chopra et al 2006;Iida et al 2004), allowing for characterization of the structural and regulatory genes for anthocyanin biosynthesis (Koes et al 2005;Petroni and Tonelli 2011). Structural genes, CHS-D, CHI, DFR-B, and ANS in I. nil, as well as CHS-D in I. purpurea, are essential for flower and stem anthocyanin production ( Figure 2B-F, K) (Chopra et al 2006;Habu et al 1998;Hoshino et al 2009;Iida et al 2004;Inagaki et al 1994), but their exact roles in proanthocyanidin production are unclear. Ipomoea seed coats accumulate proanthocyanidins, but seeds of mutants for the above genes are dark brown and indistinguishable from wild-type seeds (Park and Hoshino 2012;Park et al 2007), likely because phytomelanins comprise the dark-brown pigment along with proanthocyanidins.…”

Cloning of the Flavonoid 3&apos;-Hydroxylase Gene of <i>Eustoma grandiflorum</i> (Raf.) Shinn. (<i>EgF3&apos;H</i>) and Complementation of an F3&apos;H-deficient Mutant of <i>Ipomoea nil</i> (L.) Roth. by Heterologous Expression of <i>EgF3&apos;H</i>

“…Most of these mutant lines have been maintained, and many of their mutations have been genetically defined (Iida et al, 1999(Iida et al, , 2004Imai, 1927). Nearly all of the structural and regulatory genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis have been identified (Chopra et al, 2006;Morita et al, 2006). Consequently, I. nil is considered a valuable experimental system for flower pigment studies, along with Petunia (Ishikawa et al, 2002).…”