Working group session:
Functional Genomics
Presentation type:
poster
Authors:
Xiao, Yue-Hua; Pei, Yan
Presenter:
Xiao, Yue-Hua
Correspondent:
Pei, Yan
Abstract:
Brown fiber cotton is currently the major raw material for naturally colored cotton textiles. Brown pigmentation in cotton fiber is related to the biosynthesis and accumulation of proanthocyanidins. To clarify the proanthocyanidin pathway in brown cotton fiber, we compared the gene expression profiles in brown and white fibers. Digital gene expression profiling and real-time RT-PCR analyses indicated that, the structural genes encoding most of proanthocyanidin biosynthesis enzymes (including flavonoid 3’, 5’-hydroxylase and leucoanthocyanidin reductase) were significantly up-regulated in brown fibers. Thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analyses showed that, in brown cotton fiber, the majority of free favan-3-ols were in 2,3-trans form and the proanthocyanidins were mainly composed of trihydroxylated flavan-3-ol units. Our data revealed a detailed proanthocyanidin pathway and indicated that flavonoid 3’, 5’-hydroxylase and leucoanthocyanidin reductase represented the major flow of proanthocyanidin pathway in brown cotton fiber.