In the "Rhapsody" cultivar of the carnation, which bears white flowers variegated with red flecks and sectors, a transposable element, dTdic1, belonging to the Ac/Ds superfamily, was found within the dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) gene. The red flecks and sectors of "Rhapsody" may be attributable to a reversion to DFR activity after the excision of dTdic1. The yellow color of the carnation petals is attributed to the synthesis and accumulation of chalcone 2'-glucoside. In several of the carnation cultivars that bear yellow flowers variegated with white flecks and sectors, both the chalcone isomerase (CHI) and DFR genes are disrupted by dTdic1.
Four cDNA clones were isolated from Vigna mungo seedlings by the screening with cDNA encoding UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UF3GT) of Antirrhinum majus as a probe; the product of the gene corresponding to one cDNA was more highly expressed in the first simple leaves than in stems. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed 1,691 bp (including 326 bp non-reading) containing an open reading frame of 455 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 42% and 23% identity with those of A. majus UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UF3GT) and Petunia hybrida UDP-rhamnose:anthocyanidin 3-O-glucoside rhamnosyltransferase (RT), respectively. One region of the cDNA (amino acids 325 to 387) showed similarity to ceramide UDP-galactosyltransferases of mice, rats and humans. A crude extract from Escherichia coli, in which the protein was expressed from the cDNA, showed high UF3GaT activity but low UF3GT activity, and was similar in K(m), optimal pH and substrate specificity to UF3GaT from V. mungo. We conclude that we have obtained UDP-galactose:flavonoid 3-O-galactosyltransferase (UF3GaT) cDNA from V. mungo.
A nearly full-length PAL cDNA clone was isolated from petals of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus). Northern analysis revealed that the cDNA obtained here as a probe gave a strong signal corresponding to PAL transcripts prepared from petals, but weak signals in young and old leaves, stems and roots. The amount of PAL transcripts in petals increased with development from small buds to opening flowers, along with the accumulation of anthocyanin in petals. This is the first report of a PAL cDNA clone derived from petals.
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