Cloning and expression analysis of an anthocyanidin synthase gene homologue from Brassica carinata

摘要

Proanthocyanidins and anthocyanidins have an effect on the colour of flowers and seeds (Grotewold 2006; Lepiniec et al. 2006). Studying the biosynthetic mechanism of proanthocyanidins in Brassica is of great significance for elucidating the colour formation mechanism of seed coat and guiding the breeding work of yellow-seeded rapeseed (Marles and Gruber 2004; Yan et al. 2011). Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), as an important enzyme in flavonoid biosynthesis, is a key point in studies on colour formation mechanisms of plant organs (Stracke et al. 2009). ANS is a ketoglutaric acid dependent dioxygenase, catalysing the transformation of leucoanthocyanidins to 3-OH-anthocyanidins, which is the precursor of anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins (Abrahams et al. 2003). Functional defects or silencing of ANS affects plant colour formation, thus leading to colourless orwhite organs.