Advances in Crop Science and Technology
Open Access

Abstract

Low temperature is the main environmental factor that affect anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation in purple pakchoi, which is one of the most popular vegetables in China with high anthocyanin content. In the present study, the transcriptome profiles of the purple pakchoi cultivar "ziyi", which maintained at 5°C (low temperature, LT) and 20°C (normal temperature, NT) for 10 d, were analyzed using Illumina paired-endsequencing technology in order to reveal mechanisms associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulaiton at low temperatures. The anthocyanin content under 5°C treatment was gradually increased, and the purple color deepened as compared to that observed under 20°C. After de novo assembly and quantitative assessment of the obtained reads, 114,043 unigenes were obtained, and 76,369 sequences were annotated by aligning the sequences against five public databases. Of all the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 4,172 and 3,918 up-regulated genes were identified in the 5°C and 20°C treatment groups, respectively. Twelve major anthocyanin accumulation- and biosynthesis-related genes, including transcription factors (TFs), were identified, and their expression levels were estimated. The structural genes PAL, C4H, F3H, CHS, and CUT75G1 and TFs HY5, MYB44, and MYB113 were induced by low temperature conditions. Overall, this is the first transcriptome sequencing analysis of this plant species under low temperature conditions. Studies of the DEGs involved in the anthocyanin accumulation and biosynthesis pathways provide insights into the regulatory mechanisms of anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation in purple vegetables at low temperature.

Recent Publications

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Biography

Yuying Zhu has working on Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences since 1984. Now he has his expertise in pakchoi cultivation and breeding. He has chosen 15 pakchoi varieties that have large area.

E-mail: yy5@saas.sh.com