Tomato R2R3-MYB Proteins SlANT1 and SlAN2: Same Protein Activity, Different Roles

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 8; p. e0136365
• Main Authors: Kiferle, Claudia, Fantini, Elio, Bassolino, Laura, Povero, Giovanni, Spelt, Cornelis, Buti, Sara, Giuliano, Giovanni, Quattrocchio, Francesca, Koes, Ronald, Perata, Pierdomenico, Gonzali, Silvia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 26.08.2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Animal reproduction; Anthocyanins; Anthocyanins - metabolism; Arabidopsis; Biosynthesis; Chemical synthesis; Cold Temperature; Environmental effects; Flavonoids; Fruit cultivation; Fruits; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genotype; Life sciences; Light; Low temperature; Metabolism; Metabolites; Molecular chains; Molecular modelling; Organs; Phenotype; Phylogeny; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant sciences; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - growth & development; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Polyphenols; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Proteins; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Solanum; Solanum lycopersicum; Solanum lycopersicum - genetics; Solanum lycopersicum - growth & development; Solanum lycopersicum - metabolism; Tomatoes; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transgenic; Italy; Netherlands
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136365

Anthocyanins are water-soluble polyphenolic compounds with a high nutraceutical value. Despite the fact that cultivated tomato varieties do not accumulate anthocyanins in the fruit, the biosynthetic pathway can be activated in the vegetative organs by several environmental stimuli. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating anthocyanin synthesis in tomato. Here, we carried out a molecular and functional characterization of two genes, SlAN2 and SlANT1, encoding two R2R3-MYB transcription factors. We show that both can induce ectopic anthocyanin synthesis in transgenic tomato lines, including the fruit. However, only SlAN2 acts as a positive regulator of anthocyanin synthesis in vegetative tissues under high light or low temperature conditions.