Open Access

ARTICLE

Cloning and Function Identification of a Phytoene Desaturase Gene from Eucommia ulmoides

Jiali Wang¹, Xiangmei Chen¹, Xiaozhen Huang¹, Yichen Zhao^1,*, Degang Zhao^1,2,*

1 The Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Tea Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550000, China
2 Plant Conservation Technology Center, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550000, China

* Corresponding Authors: Yichen Zhao. Email: ; Degang Zhao. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Identification of Genetic/Epigenetic Components Responding to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses in Crops)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2023, 92(5), 1377-1389. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2023.026830

Received 27 September 2022; Accepted 28 November 2022; Issue published 09 March 2023

Abstract

The phytoene desaturase (PDS) encodes a crucial enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway. Silencing or inhibiting PDS expression leads to the appearance of mottled, chlorosis, or albino leaves. In this study, the CDS sequence of EuPDS (Eucommia ulmoides Phytoene Desaturase) was first cloned and then PDS was silenced in Nicotiana benthamiana. Result showed the expression level of EuPDS in leaves was higher than that in the roots and stems. In N. benthamiana leaves, which were treated by Agrobacterium for 24 h, photo-bleaching was shown on the fresh leaves one week after injection and the transcript level of PDS was down-regulated during the period of emersion. This suggested that EuPDS could silence PDS of N. benthamiana, so as to cause the phenotype of leaf whitening. PDS is the main reporter gene involved in virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). This study offered molecular evidence for identifying PDS gene involved in Carotenoid’s biosynthesis pathway and the regulation networks in E. ulmides. It also laid a useful foundation for study on leaf discoloration mechanism of other woody plants.

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