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Expression Analysis of Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Genes in Different Colored Sweet Cherries (Prunus avium L.) During Fruit Development

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An Erratum to this article was published on 30 August 2013

Abstract

To identify the key enzymes involved in anthocyanin synthesis in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), the differences in anthocyanin biosynthetic gene expressions were investigated in the samples (mix of peel and flesh) of a red-colored cultivar (‘Hongdeng’) and a bicolored cultivar (‘Caihong’) during fruit development. The expression of six anthocyanin synthetic genes in cherry (PacCHS, PacCHI, PacF3H, PacDFR, PacANS, and PacUFGT) was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Meanwhile, the changes in anthocyanin contents were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The expression of anthocyanin synthetic genes and the anthocyanin contents were much higher in ‘Hongdeng’ than in ‘Caihong’ fruits. Gene transcription and translation and anthocyanin accumulation all started approximately at the end of the pit-hardening period and reached a maximum at maturation. All six genes were significantly correlated with anthocyanin accumulation in ‘Hongdeng’ and PacCHS had the highest direct effect. However, only PacUFGT was significantly correlated with anthocyanin accumulation in ‘Caihong’. Anthocyanin biosynthesis in sweet cherry seems to be regulated mostly at the transcript levels. CHS appears to be the key enzyme involved in anthocyanin synthesis in ‘Hongdeng’, while UFGT is involved in anthocyanin synthesis in ‘Caihong’ fruits.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Professor Weidong Huang (College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University) for providing the CHI and ANS antibodies. This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation Projects (No. 31171938) and National Department of Public Benefit Research Foundation (No. 201003021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pomology, Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology for Tree Fruits of Beijing, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of China

    Yun Liu, Xinjie Shen, Kai Zhao, Xinwei Guo & Tianhong Li

  2. Beijing No. 101 Middle School, Haidian, Beijing, 100091, People’s Republic of China

    Yue Ben

  3. Institution of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing, 100093, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoming Zhang

  4. No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100194, People’s Republic of China

    Tianhong Li

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  1. Yun Liu
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  2. Xinjie Shen
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  3. Kai Zhao
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  4. Yue Ben
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  5. Xinwei Guo
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  6. Xiaoming Zhang
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  7. Tianhong Li
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Correspondence to Tianhong Li.

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Liu, Y., Shen, X., Zhao, K. et al. Expression Analysis of Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Genes in Different Colored Sweet Cherries (Prunus avium L.) During Fruit Development. J Plant Growth Regul 32, 901–907 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-013-9355-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-013-9355-3

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