Tissue- Specific Expression Analysis of Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Genes in White- and Red-Fleshed Grape Cultivars

Abstract

Yan73, a teinturier (dyer) grape variety in China, is one of the few Vitis vinifera cultivars with red-coloured berry flesh. To examine the tissue-specific expression of genes associated with berry colour in Yan73, we analysed the differential accumulation of anthocyanins in the skin and flesh tissues of two red-skinned grape varieties with either red (Yan73) or white flesh (Muscat Hamburg) based on HPLC-MS analysis, as well as the differential expression of 18 anthocyanin biosynthesis genes in both varieties by quantitative RT-PCR. The results revealed that the transcripts of GST, OMT, AM3, CHS3, UFGT, MYBA1, F3 1 5 1 H, F3H1 and LDOX were barely detectable in the white flesh of Muscat Hamburg. In particular, GST, OMT, AM3, CHS3 and F3H1 showed approximately 50-fold downregulation in the white flesh of Muscat Hamburg compared to the red flesh of Yan73. A correlation analysis between the accumulation of different types of anthocyanins and gene expression indicated that the cumulative expression of GST, F3 1 5 1 H, LDOX and MYBA1 was more closely associated with the acylated anthocyanins and the 3 1 5 1 -OH anthocyanins, while OMT and AM3 were more closely associated with the total anthocyanins and methoxylated anthocyanins. Therefore, the transcripts of OMT, AM3, GST, F3 1 5 1 H, LDOX and MYBA1 explained most of the variation in the amount and composition of anthocyanins in skin and flesh of Yan73. The data suggest that the specific localization of anthocyanins in the flesh tissue of Yan73 is most likely due to the tissue-specific expression of OMT, AM3, GST, F3 1 5 1 H, LDOX and MYBA1 in the flesh.

Coexpression of Sucrose Synthase and the SWEET Transporter, Which Are Associated With Sugar Hydrolysis and Transport, Respectively, Increases the Hexose Content in Vitis vinifera L. Grape Berries

“…The steps of the reaction were as follows: an initial denaturation at 95 • C for 30 s, followed by 40 cycles of amplification (denaturation at 94 • C for 10 s, followed by extension at 60 • C for 30 s). The relative expression levels of the genes were normalized to those of VvActin and calculated according to the 2 − CT method, where CT = CT target-CT VvActin (Xie et al, 2015). Three biological replicates were analyzed for each cultivar.…”

Developing Functional and Antioxidant-Rich Table Grape Cultivars by Crossing Alicante Bouschet x Alphonse Lavallee

“…The white color of the grape varieties is caused by mutations that occur in the VvmybA1 gene which controls the formation of anthocyanins. All white grapes have a common origin (Walker et al, 2007;Fournier-Level et al, 2009;Xie et al, 2015). Xie et al (2015) stated that the red color of Alicanthe Bouschet began to appear in the flesh before the skin.…”

Expression of Structural Flavonoid Biosynthesis Genes in Dark-Blue and White Myrtle Berries (Myrtus communis L.)

“…Previous studies of other species [ 28 , 29 , 30 ] have shown that the expression of most of the anthocyanin pathway genes is higher in dark fruits compared to white ones. In spite of the variable expression of genes involved in the flavonoid pathway in different species and tissues, a certain correlation with anthocyanin accumulation has been found [ 30 ].…”