title: Transcriptional control of flavonoid biosynthesis by MYB-bHLH-WDR complexes.
abstract: Flavonoids are widely known for the colors they confer to plant tissues, their contribution to plant fitness and health benefits, and impact on food quality. As convenient biological markers, flavonoids have been instrumental in major genetic and epigenetic discoveries. We review recent advances in the characterization of the underlying regulatory mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis, with a special focus on the MBW (MYB-bHLH-WDR) protein complexes. These proteins are well conserved in higher plants. They participate in different types of controls ranging from fine-tuned transcriptional regulation by environmental factors to the initiation of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway by positive regulatory feedback. The MBW protein complexes provide interesting models for investigating developmentally or environmentally controlled transcriptional regulatory networks.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, ERL-CNRS 3559, Saclay Plant Sciences, RD10, 78026 Versailles, France; AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, ERL-CNRS 3559, Saclay Plant Sciences, RD10, 78026 Versailles, France.
authors.forename: Wenjia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: INRA and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) SupAgro-M, Université Montpellier 2 (UM2), Biochimie et Physiologie Moléculaire des Plantes, 2 place Viala, 34060 Montpellier CEDEX 1, France. Electronic address: christian.dubos@supagro.inra.fr.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dubos
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, ERL-CNRS 3559, Saclay Plant Sciences, RD10, 78026 Versailles, France; AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, ERL-CNRS 3559, Saclay Plant Sciences, RD10, 78026 Versailles, France. Electronic address: loic.lepiniec@versailles.inra.fr.
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lepiniec
mesh_terms: D005419:Flavonoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: MYB; WDR; bHLH; flavonoid; transcriptional network; transcriptional regulation