J Integr Plant Biol. ›› 2023, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (6): 1521-1535.DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13471

• Molecular Physiology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Transcription factor GLK1 promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis via an MBW complex-dependent pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana

Yan Li1,2†, Wei Lei1†, Zuxu Zhou1, Yanlin Li1, Dawei Zhang1* and Honghui Lin1*   

  1. 1. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
    2. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
    Yan Li and Wei Lei contributed equally to this work.
    *Correspondences:Dawei Zhang(zhdawei@scu.edu.cn);Honghui Lin(hhlin@scu.edu.cn, Dr. Lin is fully responsible for the distributions of the materials associated with this article)
  • Received:2022-07-13 Accepted:2023-02-27 Online:2023-03-01 Published:2023-06-01

Abstract: Anthocyanins are important natural plant pigments and play diverse roles in plant growth and adaptation. Anthocyanins function as screens to protect photosynthetic tissues from photoinhibition. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis and spatial accumulation pattern of anthocyanins remain some unresolved issues. Here, we demonstrate that the GARP-type transcription factor GOLDEN2-LIKE 1 (GLK1) functions as a positive factor in anthocyanin accumulation. GLK1 enhances the transcriptional activation activities of MYB75, MYB90, and MYB113 via direct protein- protein interactions to increase the expression of anthocyanin-specific biosynthetic genes. Anthocyanins accumulate in an acropetal manner in Arabidopsis. We also found that the expression pattern of GLK1 overall mimicked the accumulation pattern of anthocyanin from the base of the main stem to the shoot apex. Based on these findings, we established a working model for the role of GLK1 in anthocyanin accumulation and propose that GLK1 mediates the spatial distribution pattern of anthocyanins by affecting the transcriptional activation activities of MYB75, MYB90, and MYB113.

Key words: anthocyanin biosynthesis, GLK1, MYB75, transcriptional activation activity

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