Regulatory Mechanisms of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Apple and Pear

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Abstract

Anthocyanins contribute to the quality and flavour of fruits. They are produced through the phenylpropanoid pathway, which is regulated by specific key genes that have been identified in many species. The dominant anthocyanin forms are reversibly transformed at different pH states, thus forming different colours in aqueous solutions. In plants, anthocyanins are controlled by specific factors of the biosynthetic pathway: light, temperature, phytohormones and transcription factors. Although great progress in research on anthocyanin structures and the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis has been made, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of anthocyanin biosynthesis in different plants remain less clear. In addition, the co-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis is poorly understood. In this review, we summarise previous findings on anthocyanin biosynthesis, including the biochemical and biological features of anthocyanins; differences in anthocyanin biosynthesis among fruit species, i.e., apple, red pear, and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana; and the developmental and environmental regulation of anthocyanin accumulation. This review reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in different plant species and provides valuable information for the development of anthocyanin-rich red-skinned and red-fleshed apple and pear varieties.

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The effects of plant flavonoids on mammalian cells: implications for inflammation, heart disease, and cancer.

E. Middleton, C. Kandaswami, T Theoharides (2000)

Flavonoids are nearly ubiquitous in plants and are recognized as the pigments responsible for the colors of leaves, especially in autumn. They are rich in seeds, citrus fruits, olive oil, tea, and red wine. They are low molecular weight compounds composed of a three-ring structure with various substitutions. This basic structure is shared by tocopherols (vitamin E). Flavonoids can be subdivided according to the presence of an oxy group at position 4, a double bond between carbon atoms 2 and 3, or a hydroxyl group in position 3 of the C (middle) ring. These characteristics appear to also be required for best activity, especially antioxidant and antiproliferative, in the systems studied. The particular hydroxylation pattern of the B ring of the flavonoles increases their activities, especially in inhibition of mast cell secretion. Certain plants and spices containing flavonoids have been used for thousands of years in traditional Eastern medicine. In spite of the voluminous literature available, however, Western medicine has not yet used flavonoids therapeutically, even though their safety record is exceptional. Suggestions are made where such possibilities may be worth pursuing.

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Flavonoid antioxidants: chemistry, metabolism and structure-activity relationships.

Kelly Heim, Anthony R. Tagliaferro, Dennis J Bobilya (2002)

Flavonoids are a class of secondary plant phenolics with significant antioxidant and chelating properties. In the human diet, they are most concentrated in fruits, vegetables, wines, teas and cocoa. Their cardioprotective effects stem from the ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation, chelate redox-active metals, and attenuate other processes involving reactive oxygen species. Flavonoids occur in foods primarily as glycosides and polymers that are degraded to variable extents in the digestive tract. Although metabolism of these compounds remains elusive, enteric absorption occurs sufficiently to reduce plasma indices of oxidant status. The propensity of a flavonoid to inhibit free-radical mediated events is governed by its chemical structure. Since these compounds are based on the flavan nucleus, the number, positions, and types of substitutions influence radical scavenging and chelating activity. The diversity and multiple mechanisms of flavonoid action, together with the numerous methods of initiation, detection and measurement of oxidative processes in vitro and in vivo offer plausible explanations for existing discrepancies in structure-activity relationships. Despite some inconsistent lines of evidence, several structure-activity relationships are well established in vitro. Multiple hydroxyl groups confer upon the molecule substantial antioxidant, chelating and prooxidant activity. Methoxy groups introduce unfavorable steric effects and increase lipophilicity and membrane partitioning. A double bond and carbonyl function in the heterocycle or polymerization of the nuclear structure increases activity by affording a more stable flavonoid radical through conjugation and electron delocalization. Further investigation of the metabolism of these phytochemicals is justified to extend structure-activity relationships (SAR) to preventive and therapeutic nutritional strategies.

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The flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in Arabidopsis: structural and genetic diversity.

Kazuki Saito, Keiko Yonekura-Sakakibara, Ryo Nakabayashi … (2013)

Flavonoids are representative plant secondary products. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, at least 54 flavonoid molecules (35 flavonols, 11 anthocyanins and 8 proanthocyanidins) are found. Scaffold structures of flavonoids in Arabidopsis are relatively simple. These include kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin for flavonols, cyanidin for anthocyanins and epicatechin for proanthocyanidins. The chemical diversity of flavonoids increases enormously by tailoring reactions which modify these scaffolds, including glycosylation, methylation and acylation. Genes responsible for the formation of flavonoid aglycone structures and their subsequent modification reactions have been extensively characterized by functional genomic efforts - mostly the integration of transcriptomics and metabolic profiling followed by reverse genetic experimentation. This review describes the state-of-art of flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in Arabidopsis regarding both structural and genetic diversity, focusing on the genes encoding enzymes for the biosynthetic reactions and vacuole translocation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.