title: A Kelch Domain-Containing F-Box Coding Gene Negatively Regulates Flavonoid Accumulation in Muskmelon.
abstract: The flavonoids are phenylpropanoid-derived metabolites that are ubiquitous in plants, playing many roles in growth and development. Recently, we observed that fruit rinds of yellow casaba muskmelons (Cucumis melo 'Inodorous Group') accumulate naringenin chalcone, a yellow flavonoid pigment. With RNA-sequencing analysis of bulked segregants representing the tails of a population segregating for naringenin chalcone accumulation followed by fine mapping and genetic transformation, we identified a Kelch domain-containing F-box protein coding (CmKFB) gene that, when expressed, negatively regulates naringenin chalcone accumulation. Additional metabolite analysis indicated that downstream flavonoids are accumulated together with naringenin chalcone, whereas CmKFB expression diverts the biochemical flux toward coumarins and general phenylpropanoids. These results show that CmKFB functions as a posttranscriptional regulator that diverts flavonoid metabolic flux.
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feder
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8919-1338
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Efraim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lewinsohn
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Nurit
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8858-8395
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katzir
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Arthur A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Ayala
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meir
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davidovich-Rikanati
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Vitaly
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1130-6788
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Portnoy
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1361-1877
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gal-On
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Zhangjun
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9684-1450
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Yechezkel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kashi
authors.affiliation: Cucurbit Section, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Ramat Yishay 3009500, Israel (A.F., J.B., E.L., N.K., A.M., R.D.-R., V.P., Y.T.);Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel (A.F., Y.K.);Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (S.G., Z.F.); andPlant Science (A.A.S.) andPlant Protection (A.G.) Institutes, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel tadmory@agri.gov.il.
authors.forename: Yaakov
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3311-2503
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tadmor
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D047188:Chalcones / Q000378:metabolism*; D028463:Cucumis melo / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D044783:F-Box Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D056426:Genetic Loci / Q000235:genetics; D064688:Metabolic Flux Analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D020005:Propanols / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D047188:Chalcones; D044783:F-Box Proteins; D005419:Flavonoids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020005:Propanols; C439395:1-phenylpropanol; C027329:naringenin chalcone