The common bean V gene encodes flavonoid 3'5' hydroxylase: a major mutational target for flavonoid diversity in angiosperms

Authors: MCLEAN, PHILLIP - North Dakota State University; LEE, RIAN - North Dakota State University; Howe, Kevin; OSBORN, CAROLINE - North Dakota State University; GRIMWOOD, JANE - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology; LEVY, SHAWN - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology; HAUGRUD, AMANDA - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology; PLOTT, CHRIS - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology; ROBINSON, MELANIE - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology; SKIBA, RYAN - North Dakota State University; TANHA, TABASSUM - North Dakota State University; ZAMANI, MARIAM - North Dakota State University; Thannhauser, Theodore - Ted; Glahn, Raymond; SCHMUTZ, JEREMY - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology; OSORNO, JUAN - North Dakota State University; Miklas, Phillip - Phil

Submitted to: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2022
Publication Date: 3/31/2022
Citation: Mclean, P.E., Lee, R., Howe, K.J., Osborne, C., Grimwood, J., Levy, S., Haugrud, A.P., Plott, C., Robinson, M., Skiba, R.M., Tanha, T., Zamani, M., Thannhauser, T.W., Glahn, R.P., Schmutz, J., Osorno, J., Miklas, P.N. 2022. The common bean V gene encodes flavonoid 3'5' hydroxylase: A major mutational target for flavonoid diversity in angiosperms. Frontiers in Plant Science. 13:869582. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.869582.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.869582

Interpretive Summary: The classic V (violet, purple) gene of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) functions in a complex genetic network that controls seed coat and flower color and flavonoid content. The study was conducted to better understand the role of the V gene in the common bean. In general, this study provided a better understanding of how two key enzymes responsible for seed coat color developed to protect the plant from environmental stress. The study suggests that the genes responsible for these enzymes were conserved as they enabled enhanced development and adaptation in plants.

Technical Abstract: The classic V (violet, purple) gene of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) functions in a complex genetic network that controls seed coat and flower color and flavonoid content. V was cloned to understand its role in the network and the evolution of its orthologs in the Viridiplantae. V mapped genetically to a narrow interval on chromosome Pv06. A candidate gene was selected based on flavonoid analysis and confirmed by recombinational mapping. Protein and domain modeling determined V encodes flavonoid 3'5' hydroxylase (F3'5'H), a P450 enzyme required for the expression of dihydromyricetin-derived flavonoids in the flavonoid pathway. Eight recessive haplotypes, defined by mutations of key functional domains required for P450 activities, evolved independently in the two bean gene pools from a common ancestral gene. V homologs were identified in Viridiplantae orders by functional domain searches. A phylogenetic analysis determined F3'5'H first appeared in the Streptophyta and is present in only 41% of Angiosperm reference genomes. The evolutionarily related flavonoid pathway gene flavonoid 3' hydroxylase (F3'H) is found nearly universally in all Angiosperms. F3'H may be conserved because of its role in abiotic stress, while F3'5'H evolved as a major target gene for the evolution of flower and seed coat color in plants.