title: Transcriptome analysis and transient transformation suggest an ancient duplicated MYB transcription factor as a candidate gene for leaf red coloration in peach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leaf red coloration is an important characteristic in many plant species, including cultivars of ornamental peach (Prunus persica). Peach leaf color is controlled by a single Gr gene on linkage group 6, with a red allele dominant over the green allele. Here, we report the identification of a candidate gene of Gr in peach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The red coloration of peach leaves is due to accumulation of anthocyanin pigments, which is regulated at the transcriptional level. Based on transcriptome comparison between red- and green-colored leaves, an MYB transcription regulator PpMYB10.4 in the Gr interval was identified to regulate anthocyanin pigmentation in peach leaf. Transient expression of PpMYB10.4 in tobacco and peach leaves can induce anthocyain accumulation. Moreover, a functional MYB gene PpMYB10.2 on linkage group 3, which is homologous to PpMYB10.4, is also expressed in both red- and green-colored leaves, but plays no role in leaf red coloration. This suggests a complex mechanism underlying anthocyanin accumulation in peach leaf. In addition, PpMYB10.4 and other anthocyanin-activating MYB genes in Rosaceae responsible for anthocyanin accumulation in fruit are dated to a common ancestor about 70 million years ago (MYA). However, PpMYB10.4 has diverged from these anthocyanin-activating MYBs to generate a new gene family, which regulates anthocyanin accumulation in vegetative organs such as leaves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Activation of an ancient duplicated MYB gene PpMYB10.4 in the Gr interval on LG 6, which represents a novel branch of anthocyanin-activating MYB genes in Rosaceae, is able to activate leaf red coloration in peach.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lin-Wang
authors.forename: Sornkanok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vimolmangkang
authors.forename: Richard V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Espley
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: Yuepeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020440:Gene Duplication; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010858:Pigmentation; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D027861:Prunus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors