title: Isolation and characterization of a novel chalcone synthase gene family from mulberry.
abstract: Chalcone synthase (CHS) is the pivotal enzyme that catalyzes the first committed step of the phenylpropanoid pathway leading to flavonoids. Here, five CHS genes were determined in mulberry (Morus atropurpurea Roxb.). Interestingly, phylogenetic analysis tended to group three MaCHSs in the stilbene synthase (STS) family and initially annotated these as MaSTSs. A co-expression system that harbored a 4-coumarate:CoA ligase gene and one of the candidate genes was established to determine the functions of this novel gene family. The fermentation result demonstrated that MaSTS in fact encoded a CHS enzyme, and was consequently retermed MaCHS. Tissue-specific expression analysis indicated that MaCHS1/MaCHS2 was highly abundant in fruit, and MaCHS4 had significant expression in root bark, stem bark and old leaves, while MaCHS3 and MaCHS5 were more expressed in old leaves. Subcellular localization experiments showed that MaCHS was localized to the cytoplasm. Transcription levels suggested MaCHS genes were involved in a series of defense responses. Over-expression of MaCHS in transgenic tobacco modified the metabolite profile, and resulted in elevated tolerance to a series of environmental stresses. This study comprehensively evaluated the function of MaCHS genes and laid the foundation for future research on MaCHS in mulberry.
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Chuanhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Changying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Fengxiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Aichun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Xiling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: The Sericultural and Apicultural Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100, China.
authors.forename: Zhengang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Sericultural and Apicultural Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi, Yunnan 661100, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China; Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, BeiBei District, Chongqing 400716, China. Electronic address: yumd@163.com.
authors.forename: Maode
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D044950:Flavanones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D031625:Morus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044950:Flavanones; D010940:Plant Proteins; D000217:Acyltransferases; C020141:flavanone synthetase; C005273:naringenin
keywords: Chalcone synthase; Co-expression; Flavonoids; Mulberry; Stilbene synthase; Transgenic