Identification of factors that simultaneously regulate the synthesis of several flavonoid compounds

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02122
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38030:Applied biochemistry-related
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Matsui Katsuhiro 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 作物研究部門, 上級研究員 (30343974)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 安井 康夫 京都大学, 農学研究科, 助教 (70293917)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: フラボノイド / ソバ / 合成制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Various flavonoids are synthesized by a sequential enzymatic reactions called the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. The flavonoids synthesized are basically dependent on the enzymes possessed by the plant, and if an enzyme in the middle of the synthetic system loses its function, the compounds synthesized downstream would not be synthesized. Genetic analysis of a buckwheat mutant that does not synthesize flavonoids other than flavonols, which are synthesized in the middle of the synthetic system, revealed that mutations in enzyme genes that work downstream affect the synthesis of compounds synthesized upstream and downstream. The reason for this could be that the mutant gene did not directly control the genes in the synthetic system, but rather suppressed upstream synthesis due to feedback phenomena or other factors.

Free Research Field

植物遺伝育種学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

植物が産生するフラボノイド系化合物は、その抗酸化作用などが人間の健康増進に寄与することが知られている。しかし、フラボノイド系化合物の中には、品質に悪影響を与えるものがあり、さらに、必要とするフラボノイドが可食部になかったりする。もし、さまざまなフラボノイドのうち人間にとって有用なフラボノイドだけをを必要な器官に蓄積させることが可能になれば、高齢化社会に大変有意義なものとなると考えられる。