Molecular characterization of carotenoid biosynthetic genes and carotenoid accumulation in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

Authors

  • Pham Anh Tuan Department of Crop Science, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea
  • Yeon Bok Kim Herbal Crop Research Division, Department of Herbal Crop Research, Bisanro 92, Eumseong, Chungbuk, 369-873, Korea
  • Jae Kwang Kim Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 406-772, Korea
  • Mariadhas Valan Arasu Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
  • Naif Abdullah Al-Dhabi Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
  • Sang Un Park Department of Crop Science, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea; Visiting Professor Program (VPP), King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2014-547

Keywords:

Carotenoids, gene characterization, lutein, Scutellaria baicalensis, ß-carotene

Abstract

Scutellaria baicalensis has a wide range of biological activities and has been considered as an important traditional drug in Asia and North America for centuries. A partial-length cDNA clone encoding phytoene synthase (SbPSY) and full-length cDNA clonesencoding phytoene desaturase (SbPDS), ξ-carotene desaturase (SbZDS), β-ring carotene hydroxylase (SbCHXB), and zeaxanthin epoxidase (SbZEP)were identifiedin S. baicalensis. Sequence analyses revealed that these proteins share high identity and conserved domains with their orthologous genes. SbPSY, SbPDS, SbZDS, SbCHXB, and SbZEP were constitutively expressed in the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of S.baicalensis. SbPSY, SbPDS, and SbZDS were highly expressed in the stems, leaves, and flowers and showed low expression in the roots, where only trace amounts of carotenoids were detected. SbCHXB and SbZEP transcripts were expressed at relatively high levels in the roots, stems, and flowers and were expressed at low levels in the leaves, where carotenoids were mostly distributed. The predominant carotenoids in S.baicalensiswere lutein and β-carotene, with abundant amounts found in the leaves (517.19 and 228.37 μg g-1 dry weight, respectively). Our study on the biosynthesis of carotenoids in S. baicalensis will provide basic data for elucidating the contribution of carotenoids to the considerable medicinal properties of S. baicalensis.

Published

2015-01-26

How to Cite

Tuan, P. A., Kim, Y. B., Kim, J. K., Arasu, M. V., Al-Dhabi, N. A., & Park, S. U. (2015). Molecular characterization of carotenoid biosynthetic genes and carotenoid accumulation in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. EXCLI Journal, 14, 146–157. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2014-547

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Original articles

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