title: Flower color alteration in Lotus japonicus by modification of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway.
abstract: To establish a model system for alteration of flower color by carotenoid pigments, we modified the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway of Lotus japonicus using overexpression of the crtW gene isolated from marine bacteria Agrobacterium aurantiacum and encoding beta-carotene ketolase (4,4'-beta-oxygenase) for the production of pink to red color ketocarotenoids. The crtW gene with the transit peptide sequence of the pea Rubisco small subunit under the regulation of the CaMV35S promoter was introduced to L. japonicus. In most of the resulting transgenic plants, the color of flower petals changed from original light yellow to deep yellow or orange while otherwise exhibiting normal phenotype. HPLC and TLC analyses revealed that leaves and flower petals of these plants accumulated novel carotenoids, believed to be ketocarotenoids consisting of including astaxanthin, adonixanthin, canthaxanthin and echinenone. Results indicated that modification of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway is a means of altering flower color in ornamental crops.
authors.affiliation: Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, 22-174-4 Narita, Kitakami, Iwate 024-0003, Japan. ssakae@cc.tuat.ac.jp
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishihara
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakatsuka
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ogiwara
authors.forename: Saburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamura
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D035264:Flowers / Q000502:physiology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D000070116:Lotus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological; D002338:Carotenoids; D010105:Oxygenases; C093259:beta-carotene ketolase