Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (1): 139-149.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2025-0557

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Cloning and Functional Analysis of So4CL Gene in Syringa oblata

NI Ying1(), LI Lei1, WANG Jin-xuan1, MA Bo1, MENG Xin2, LENG Ping-sheng1,3, WU Jing1,3(), HU Zeng-hui1,3()   

  1. 1.Ancient Tree Health and Culture Engineering Technology Research Center, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206
    2.National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093
    3.Beijing Laboratory for Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing 102206
  • Received:2025-05-31 Online:2026-01-26 Published:2026-02-04
  • Contact: WU Jing, HU Zeng-hui E-mail:18810602920@163.com;wjmxy1988@126.com;buahuzenghui@163.com

Abstract:

Objective 4-coumarate∶CoA ligase (4CL) is a core enzyme of the phenylpropane metabolic pathway, and the function and expression characteristics of 4CL gene in Syringa oblata were investigated. Method Based on the genomic and transcriptomic data of S. oblata, the So4CL gene was screened and cloned. Bioinformatics analysis and subcellular localization were performed on its encoded protein. The relative expressions of So4CL in different flowering stages and tissues were investigated using RT-qPCR. The overexpressing and silencing vectors of So4CL were constructed and transformed into S. oblata and Nicotiana benthamian via Agrobacterium-mediated infection, followed by observation of phenotypic changes and measurement of anthocyanin content; and the expressions of the structural genes upstream and downstream of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway were determined by RT-qPCR. Result The CDS region of the So4CL gene was 1 659 bp in full length, encoding 552 amino acids with conserved structural domains BOXI and BOXII. Systematic evolutionary analysis revealed that So4CL had the highest 97% similarity to the 4CL protein of Fraxinus mandshurica. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the expression of the So4CL tended to decrease and then increase as the petals of lilac fading with flower development. So4CL was expressed in the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers in flowering stage. Subcellular localization analysis showed that So4CL was mainly present in the cytoplasm. The petals color of S. oblata got obviously darker after overexpressing So4CL, and the anthocyanin contents were significantly elevated. The N. benthamian leaves also showed brick-red changes. While petals were significantly discolored and anthocyanin contents significantly reduced after silencing So4CL. RT-qPCR analysis showed that transient transformation of So4CL affected the expressions of SoPAL, SoCHS, SoDFR, and SoUFGT in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Conclusion So4CL plays an important role in anthocyanin synthesis in S. oblata petals and is a key gene in this process.

Key words: Syringa oblata, 4-coumarate: CoA ligase, anthocyanin, gene cloning, function verification, gene expression