1. A novel bHLH gene responsive to low nitrogen positively regulates the biosynthesis of medicinal tropane alkaloids in Atropa belladonna.
- Author
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Gou Y, Jing Y, Song J, Nagdy MM, Peng C, Zeng L, Chen M, Lan X, Htun ZLL, Liao Z, and Li Y
- Subjects
- Plant Proteins genetics, Plant Proteins metabolism, Plants, Medicinal metabolism, Plants, Medicinal genetics, Hyoscyamine metabolism, Hyoscyamine genetics, Scopolamine metabolism, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Nitrogen metabolism, Gene Expression Regulation, Plant drug effects, Atropa belladonna metabolism, Atropa belladonna genetics, Tropanes metabolism, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors genetics, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors metabolism, Mixed Function Oxygenases
- Abstract
Medicinal tropane alkaloids (TAs), including hyoscyamine, anisodamine and scopolamine, are essential anticholinergic drugs specifically produced in several solanaceous plants. Atropa belladonna is one of the most important medicinal plants that produces TAs. Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate new A. belladonna germplasm with the high content of TAs. Here, we found that the levels of TAs were elevated under low nitrogen (LN) condition, and identified a LN-responsive bHLH transcription factor (TF) of A. belladonna (named LNIR) regulating the biosynthesis of TAs. The expression level of LNIR was highest in secondary roots where TAs are synthesized specifically, and was significantly induced by LN. Further research revealed that LNIR directly activated the transcription of hyoscyamine 6β-hydroxylase gene (H6H) by binding to its promoter, which converts hyoscyamine into anisodamine and subsequently epoxidizes anisodamine to form scopolamine. Overexpression of LNIR upregulated the expression levels of TA biosynthesis genes and consequently led to the increased production of TAs. In summary, we functionally identified a LN-responsive bHLH gene that facilitated the development of A. belladonna with high-yield TAs under the decreased usage of nitrogen fertilizer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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