Anthocyanins are flavonoid compounds commonly found as glycosides in various plants, particularly in ornamental plants, fruits, and vegetables. Beyond their aesthetic contributions, anthocyanins serve essential physiological roles, including stress adaptation, disease resistance, and enhancement of fruit quality. Understanding Anthocyanin Biosynthes is the biosynthesis of anthocyanins occurs through a multi-step pathway involving key structural genes encoding enzymes such as chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H). This pathway is further regulated at the transcriptional level by transcription factors (TFs) like MYB, bHLH, and WD40, which either activate or inhibit structural gene expression. Although recent discoveries have identified additional TFs influencing this biosynthetic process, the precise regulatory interactions in horticultural plants remain incompletely understood.
A study (DOI:10.48130/tp-0025-0002) published in Tropical Plants on 24 March 2025 by Yunzhu Wang’s team, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, offers theoretical insights to optimize anthocyanin production and enhance the aesthetic and functional traits of horticultural crops.
The study on anthocyanin biosynthesis in horticultural plants employed a molecular and biochemical approach to elucidate the metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved in anthocyanin accumulation. Researchers investigated the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway (ABP), which operates as a branch of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. This process involves three primary stages: the initial synthesis of 4-coumaroyl-CoA from phenylalanine, the formation of dihydroflavonols via chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), and the final conversion into anthocyanin glycosides through the action of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), and UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT). Additionally, anthocyanins undergo modifications such as glycosylation, methylation, and acylation, which contribute to their stability and color diversity.
The results demonstrated that structural genes such as CHS and CHI play pivotal roles in the initial steps of anthocyanin biosynthesis, significantly influencing anthocyanin content and pigmentation. Overexpression of CHS in Freesia hybrida resulted in enhanced anthocyanin accumulation and a shift in petal coloration, while silencing of CHI genes in mulberry led to a significant reduction in anthocyanin content. Enzymes from the 2-Oxoglutarate Dependent Dioxygenase (2-ODD) family, including F3H, ANS, and flavonol synthase (FLS), were found to have a strong impact on flavonoid biosynthesis. Functional analyses showed that mutations in ANS genes in raspberry and magnolia significantly affected anthocyanin accumulation, altering flower pigmentation. Moreover, genes such as flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H) and flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase (F3'5'H) were identified as key determinants of color variation, with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of F3'H in poinsettia causing a color shift from red to orange. These findings underscore the intricate molecular network controlling anthocyanin biosynthesis and provide valuable insights for improving horticultural plant coloration and stress resistance.
This review explores the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms of anthocyanins in horticultural plants, highlighting their role in coloration, stress resistance, and human health benefits. The anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway (ABP) consists of three key stages, involving structural genes such as CHS, DFR, and UFGT, and is regulated by transcription factors like MYB, bHLH, and WD40. Environmental factors such as temperature, light, and hormones also influence anthocyanin accumulation. Understanding these mechanisms provides insights for breeding plants with improved coloration, stress tolerance, and enhanced nutritional value, with potential applications in agriculture, horticulture, and functional food industries.
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References
DOI
10.48130/tp-0025-0002
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.48130/tp-0025-0002
About Tropical Plants
Tropical Plants (e-ISSN 2833-9851) is the official journal of Hainan University and published by Maximum Academic Press. Tropical Plants undergoes rigorous peer review and is published in open-access format to enable swift dissemination of research findings, facilitate exchange of academic knowledge and encourage academic discourse on innovative technologies and issues emerging in tropical plant research.
Funding Information
This study was financially supported grants from introduction of talent projects of Anhui Science and Technology University (JZYJ202201), 'Pioneer' and 'Leading Goose' R&D Program of Zhejiang (2023C02028-1), Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LQ22C150008), the Foundation of Key Laboratory of Biology of Ornamental Plants in East China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration (KFE202403), Anhui Provincial University Research Project (2024AH050326), and Anhui Science and Technology University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (202310879071, S202310879153, 202410879058).