蓝星睡莲(Nymphaea colorata)花瓣积累蓝色花青素的分子基础研究

A lot of worldwide breeders have selected novel varieties of blue flowers as their breeding objectives and research priorities. Although the blue flower-related anthocyanins have been deeply studied in many different flowers, the key genes involved in regulation pathways are still lacking without systematic exploration. In particular, the related research in water lilies is still in its infancy. In the previous study, we identified the galloyl- and acetyl-modified delphidines as the main blue pigments relying on the blue-petal water lily Nymphaea colorata, completed the reference genome of N. colorata, established the genetic transformation system for tropical water lilies, and has obtained the naturally mutated and stable inherited white-colored petal of N. colorata. Based on these findings, we intend to search for the major gene for the petal coloration from DNA level and transcription level, and determine the most crucial regulatory gene through transgenic verification. This work will surely greatly promote the water lily breeding and better help to understand the molecular basis of blue flowers.

世界上许多花卉育种工作者都将选育蓝色系花卉新品种作为育种目标和研究重点。尽管蓝花相关的花青素在众多不同花卉中得到深入研究，但参与调控的关键基因还缺少深入系统地鉴定，尤其睡莲中相关研究还处于起步阶段。前期研究中，我们以开蓝花的蓝星睡莲为材料鉴定了没食子酰和乙酰修饰的半乳糖苷飞燕草素为主要蓝色色素，完成了蓝星睡莲参考基因组序列，建立了热带睡莲转基因体系，获得了自然变异的、性状稳定不分离的白花蓝星。基于此，我们拟从DNA水平和转录水平来寻找着色的关键基因，并通过转基因验证来确定最关键的调控基因。这将极大促进睡莲育种和对蓝色系花卉的分子基础的认识。

项目背景：.在整个开花植物谱系中，蓝色系花卉比较稀有，且重要花卉如月季、菊花、康乃馨、荷花、百合等都缺乏蓝色花青素。因此蓝色花瓣是育种者追求的重要性状，国内外该方面的研究是热点并且竞争激烈, 世界上许多花卉育种工作者都将选育蓝色系花卉新品种作为育种目标和研究重点。 .主要研究内容：.（1）获得了蓝星睡莲高质量参考基因组，（2）获得了优质的白花瓣蓝星睡莲自然突变体，（3）获得了蓝色花青素的组成成分，（4）获得了蓝色花青素的合成通路，（5）鉴定了蓝色花青素合成相关的候选基因。.重要结果：.发表文章：累计发表四篇SCI论文，包括项目主持人作为共同第一作者和共同指导作者，发表了一篇Nature期刊的研究长文Article，受邀请撰写相关重要综述2篇。.关键数据：获得了高质量的蓝星睡莲参考基因组，这也是在激烈的国际竞争下的首个睡莲基因组。.科学意义：正如银杏是裸子植物的活化石，睡莲是开花植物的活化石。在和美国哈佛大学同行的激烈竞争研究睡莲基因组的背景下，得到本基金的资助，顺利发布了全球首个睡莲基因组序列，挖掘了蓝色花瓣相关的基因。