AUTHOR=Li Ji , Wu Kunlin , Li Lin , Ma Guohua , Fang Lin , Zeng Songjun 

TITLE=AcMYB1 Interacts With AcbHLH1 to Regulate Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Aglaonema commutatum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.886313

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.886313

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Aglaonema commutatum</italic> is one of the most popular foliage plants with abundant leaf phenotypes; therefore, anthocyanin coloration is a vital economic trait in <italic>A. commutatum</italic>. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis and its regulation remain unclear. In this study, <italic>AcMYB1</italic> and <italic>AcbHLH1</italic>, transcription factor genes related to an R2R3-myeloblast (MYB) and a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH), respectively, were isolated from <italic>A. commutatum</italic> “Red Valentine” and functionally characterized. AcMYB1 and AcbHLH1 were found to interact by Y2H and BiFC assay. <italic>AcMYB1</italic> was grouped into the AN2 subgroup and shared high homology with the known regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Gene expression analysis showed that both <italic>AcMYB1</italic> and <italic>AcbHLH1</italic> have similar expression patterns to anthocyanin structural genes and correlate with anthocyanin distribution in different tissues of <italic>A. commutatum</italic>. Light strongly promoted anthocyanin accumulation by upregulating the expression of anthocyanin-related genes in <italic>A. commutatum</italic> leaves. Ectopic expression of <italic>AcMYB1</italic> in tobacco remarkably increased anthocyanin accumulation in both vegetative and reproductive tissues at various developmental stages. These results provide insights into the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in <italic>A. commutatum</italic> and are useful for breeding new <italic>A. commutatum</italic> cultivars with enhanced ornamental value.</p>