Elucidation of the regulatory mechanism of nobiletin biosynthesis in citrus fruit

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06030
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39030:Horticultural science-related
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Ma Gang 静岡大学, 農学部, 助教 (20767412)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ノビレチン / フラボノイド / フラボン / PMF

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nobiletin is a polymethoxylated flavonoid specifically accumulated in citrus fruit. In this study, to elucidate the accumulation of nobiletin in citrus fruit, the key genes involved in nobiletin biosynthesis were identified by microarray analysis, and their roles in the regulation of nobiletin accumulation were investigated in different citrus varieties. The results showed that CitOMT1 and CitOMT2, which were highly expressed in nobiletin abundant varieties of Ponkan mandarin and Nou 6, catalyzed the biosynthesis of nobiletin from tangeretin and sinensetin, respectively. In addition, we screened and isolated 7 transcriptional factors by microarray analysis, the changes in the expression of these transcriptional factors were well consistent with the accumulation of nobiletin in different citrus varieties during the ripening process. In this study, the novel nobiletin biosynthetic pathway was proposed, and its regulatory mechanisms were deeply discussed in citrus fruit.

Free Research Field

収穫後生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題では，ノビレチンに着目して研究を行った。ノビレチンは，アルツハイマー病の予防，発がん抑制などの効能が期待される機能性成分である。本研究では，カンキツ果実におけるノビレチン生合成経路および生合成の調節機構を分子レベルから解明することにより，機能性成分のノビレチンを豊富に含むカンキツ果実の栽培技術および新品種の育成に繋がる。