Molecular mechanism behind the involvement of apple flavonoid glycosyltransferase gene MdGT1 in the color of apple leaves

Flavonoids are a class of polyphenol compounds that are widespread in plants. They play an important role in plant growth and development. In this study, we found a mutant strain of M. baccata with yellow leaves (YL). Transcriptome sequencing revealed that it exhibited significant changes in the flavonoid metabolism pathway, which screening revealed was associated with a glycosyltransferase gene, MD09G1064900 (MdGT1). Analysis of its spatiotemporal expression showed that MdGT1 was mainly expressed in the stem and leaves, it means that MdGT1 may have a functional role in these parts. Real-time PCR and HPLC showed that MdGT1 was significantly upregulated by anthocyanin and exhibited strong anthocyaninase activity in vitro, respectively. An MdGT1 plant expression vector was constructed and overexpressed in apple fruit callus, resulting in a significant decrease of anthocyanin. Phenotypic observation also revealed that the MdGT1-overexpressing lines exhibited worse growth than the wild type after NaCl treatment, while they grew better upon the addition of exogenous anthocyanins. Moreover, real-time PCR and physiological data showed that MdGT1 is involved in salt stress and closely related to antioxidant pathways. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and yeast one-hybrid experiments also proved that the transcription factor MdMYB88 is an upstream regulatory factor of MdGT1. The sequencing results revealed an amino acid insertion in an MdMYB88 HTH domain (between 77-131 amino acids) in the YL mutant strain. In conclusion, we identified a new apple glycosyltransferase gene, MdGT1, which may affect the color of apple leaves by glycosylating anthocyanins, and be regulated by the upstream transcription factor MdMYB88. Significance statementThe glycosyltransferases and their physiological significance in apple are largely unknown. Here we revealed that the MdMYB88-regulated apple glycosyltransferase gene MdGT1 plays a crucial role in the color of apple leaves and enhances plant tolerance to salt by antioxidant pathways via anthocyanin metabolism.