Anthocyanin biosynthesis in roses

摘要

Anthocyanin is the principal pigment in flowers, conferring intense red-to-blue cyanic colours on petals and helping to attract pollinators. Its biosynthesis involves glycosylation steps that are important for the stability of the pigment and for itsaqueous solubility in vac-uoles. Here we describe anthocyanin biosynthesis in roses (Rosa hybrida), which is unlike the pathway used in other flowers in that it relies on a single enzyme to achieve glycosylation at two different positions on the precursor molecule. Phylogenetic analysis also indicates that this previously unknown glucosyltrans-ferase enzyme may be unique to roses, with glycosylation having apparently evolved into a single stabilizing step in other plants.