Callus induction of tartary buckwheat and enhancement of its flavonoids via FtCHS1 overexpression
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), a popular and traditional health care-related cereal, has recently been the focus of research because of its metabolic regulation of flavonoids. Elicitingtissues in vitroculture is an effective way to explore flavonoid biosynthesis mechanisms in tartary buckwheat. In the present study, we developed an in vitro genetic transformation system using the tartary buckwheat variety ‘Xiqiao No. 2’. The results showed thattherate of callus induced from hypocotylexplants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.8 mg/L 6-BA and 3.5 mg/L 2,4-D was 100%. Much greater amounts of calli could then be obtained by repeated subculture on MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L 6-BA and 1.0 mg/L KT. Furthermore, transgenic calli expressing the FtCHS1 gene were obtained viaAgrobacterium-mediatedtransformation. Overexpressing FtCHS1 in tartary buckwheat callus led tothe marked promotion of flavonol (P<0.01) and anthocyanin accumulation (P<0.05) due to the dramatic upregulation of the transcription of FtCHI, FtCHS2, FtFLS1, FtFLS2, FtFLS3 and FtDFR1, the genes of key enzymes involved in the flavonol and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways (P < 0.01). This study provides solid support for further transgenic manipulation of calli as part of a system for regenerating tartary buckwheat.