Epigenetics associated with phenotypic lability among vegetatively propagaetd plants

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18638
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Horticultural science
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ohno Sho 京都大学, 農学研究科, 助教 (10722001)
• Research Collaborator: HORI Wakako
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ダリア / 花色 / カルコン合成酵素 / フラボノイド / 転写後遺伝子サイレンシング / siRNA / 栄養繁殖 / 不安定性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Petal color lability is a prominent feature of bicolor dahlia cultivars, that causes plants to produce not only original bicolor petals with colored bases and pure white tips, but also frequently single-colored petals without white tips. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms that are associated with petal color lability using the red-white bicolor cultivar ‘Yuino’. Molecular biological analyses such as qRT-PCR and small RNA mapping analysis, suggest that post-transcriptional gene silencing of DvCHS2 plays a key role in phenotypic lability in this bicolor dahlia. Genomic analysis also suggested that DvCHS2 is the key gene involved in bicolor formation. Identification of flavonoids in leaves also confirms the importance of chalcone synthase for phenotypic lability in ‘Yuino’. And, by using the presence or absence of leaf flavonoid as an indicator, it was suggested that plants producing only original bicolor petals could be selected.

Free Research Field

園芸学