Cloning and Expression Analysis of Flavonoid 3′, 5′-Hydroxylase Gene from Brunfelsia acuminata

The full-length cDNA sequence of F3′5′H gene from the Brunfelsia acuminata was obtained by RT-PCR and RACE, whose GenBank accession number is JQ678765. The sequence contains a 1521 bp open reading frame, 120 bp 5′UTR and 61 bp 3′UTR, encoding a total of 506 amino acids. The molecular mass of the predicted protein is 56.47 kDa with an estimated pI of 8.78, respectively. Sequence alignment showed that the amino acid sequence of F3′5′H was 91%, 87% and 84% with that of Petunia × hybrida, Nierembergia sp., Solanum tuberosum, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of F3′5′H gene was different in petals of different days, which was the highest expression level on day 0 and significantly higher than other days. The results indicated that F3′5′H might play key role in flower color regulation and provide a theoretical reference for blue flower molecular breeding.

Transculturalism and transcultural symbol of the blue flower

This article examines the problem of determining transculturalism as an independent supracultural phenomenon, the cognition of which requires the aesthetic subject adopt an attitude of outsideness and holistic consciousness. Transculturalism is described a specific cultural model that can represent transcultural symbols. Based on the image of the blue flower, the author examines transcultural symbol as a phenomenon with mythical basis, which is being formed through ceaseless process of cultural transfer. For determining transculturalism as an independent phenomenon, the author analyzes modern definitions presented in the scientific discourse and compares them with the definition of transculturalism given by M. N. Epstein. The formation of transcultural symbol is described via genetic method and from the perspective of the process of cultural transfer (M. Espagne). This article proves M. N. Epstein's theory on perception of transculturalism as a specific cultural model, a supracultural phenomenon. The author explores the peculiarities of development of transcultural symbol,  and provides the examples of variation of this symbol are given (using the image of the blue flower in the English-language literary discourse). This work contributes to the understanding of transculturalism as a supracultural, universal, national, and holistic phenomenon. In modern world, such definition of transculturism is essential for conducting cross-cultural dialogue and maintaining respectful attitude towards national code. Using the example of the blue flower, the author reviews the variations of transcultural symbol in the English-language literature; analyzes the contest of paradigms, peculiarities of the palimpsest of this image, overcoming the stereotypes of perception and transitioning through cultural space; finds the reflection of the idea of universality underlying the poetology of Novalis.

Abiotic Environment Predicts Micro- but Not Macroevolutionary Patterns of Flower Color in Monkeyflowers (Phrymaceae)

Anthocyanin pigments are responsible for many of the vivid pink, purple, red, and blue flower colors across angiosperms and frequently vary within and between closely related species. While anthocyanins are well known to influence pollinator attraction, they are also associated with tolerance to abiotic stressors such as extreme temperatures, reduced precipitation, and ultraviolet radiation. Using a comparative approach, we tested whether abiotic variables predict floral anthocyanin in monkeyflowers (Phrymaceae) across western North America. Within two polymorphic species, we found that abiotic variables predicted flower color across their geographic ranges. In Erythranthe discolor, the frequency of pink flowered (anthocyanin producing) individuals was greater in populations with reduced precipitation. In Diplacus mephiticus, the frequency of pink flowered individuals was greater at higher elevations that had reduced precipitation and lower temperatures but less ultraviolet radiation. At the macroevolutionary scale, across two parallel radiations of North American monkeyflowers, species with floral anthocyanins (pink, purple, or red corollas) occupied areas with reduced precipitation in Erythranthe but not Diplacus. However, after accounting for phylogenetic relatedness, we found no evidence for the joint evolution of flower color and environmental affinity in either clade. We conclude that although abiotic stressors may play a role in the evolution of flower color within polymorphic species, we found no evidence that these processes lead to macroevolutionary patterns across monkeyflowers.

Mihai Eminescu – floral aesthetic codes

The aim of investigation. The floral symbol manifests intself according to the aesthetic codes of each literary era. For romantic creators the outside world begins to lose its meaning so that the real nature will be subordinated by them to the inner movements of feelings. The literary motif of the blue flower consecrated by Novalis in German romanticism is the desire to access a higher spiritual life because in romanticism literature becomes a means of knowing the world not just mirroring it, no matter how elaborate this reflection. With reverberation in Mihai Eminescu`s poetry this floral motif is originally autochthonous along with other floral aesthetic codes. The method of research. Constructive comparativism or third-degree comparativism is the method used amd is based on relationship of dependence or influence between at least two texts. Thus, there are certain myths, themes, motives that radiate from one culture to another, from one era to another, enriching their meaning according to new visions about the world and life. Conclusion. From the dawn of literature until now aesthetic codes including floral ones have been constant they being part of the mythical structure of humanity. The relation between literary works, the contacts berween national literatures and the circulation in time of ideas materialize in the taking of some forms, of some suggestions regarding the stylistic construction or the interpretation of the phenomena from the objective world.

Isolation and Functional Analysis of Genes Involved in Polyacylated Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Blue Senecio cruentus

Polyacylated anthocyanins with multiple glycosyl and aromatic acyl groups tend to make flowers display bright and stable blue colours. However, there are few studies on the isolation and functional characterization of genes involved in the polyacylated anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanism, which limits the molecular breeding of truly blue flowers. Senecio cruentus is an important potted ornamental plant, and its blue flowers contain 3′,7-polyacylated delphinidin-type anthocyanins that are not reported in any other plants, suggesting that it harbours abundant gene resources for the molecular breeding of blue flowers. In this study, using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis of blue, carmine and white colours of cineraria cultivars “Venezia” (named VeB, VeC, and VeW, respectively), we found that 3′,7-polyacylated anthocyanin, cinerarin, was the main pigment component that determined the blue colour of ray florets of cineraria. Based on the transcriptome sequencing and differential gene expression (DEG) analysis combined with RT- and qRT-PCR, we found two genes encoding uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase, named ScUGT1 and ScUGT4; two genes encoding acyl-glucoside-dependent glucosyltransferases which belong to glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1), named ScAGGT11 and ScAGGT12; one gene encoding serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferase ScSCPL2; and two MYB transcriptional factor genes ScMYB2 and ScMYB4, that were specifically highly expressed in the ray florets of VeB, which indicated that these genes may be involved in cinerarin biosynthesis. The function of ScSCPL2 was analysed by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in cineraria leaves combined with HPLC-MS/MS. ScSCPL2 mainly participated in the 3′ and 7-position acylation of cinerarin. These results will provide new insight into the molecular basis of the polyacylated anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanism in higher plants and are of great significance for blue flower molecular breeding of ornamental plants.

Exploring the Molecular Mechanism of Blue Flower Color Formation in Hydrangea macrophylla cv. “Forever Summer”

Hydrangea macrophylla has a large inflorescence and rich colors, which has made it one of the most popular ornamental flowers worldwide. Thus far, the molecular mechanism of flower color formation in H. macrophylla flowers is unknown. By comparing the pigment content and transcriptome data of the bud period (FSF1), discoloration period (FSF2) and full-bloom stage (FSF3) of infertile blue flowers of H. macrophylla cv. “Forever Summer,” we found that genes associated with anthocyanin production were most associated with the formation of blue infertile flowers throughout development. The anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway is the main metabolic pathway associated with flower color formation, and the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway appeared to have almost no contribution to flower color. There was no competition between the flavonoid and flavonol and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways for their substrate. At FSF1, the key genes CHS and CHI in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were up-regulated, underlying the accumulation of a substrate for anthocyanin synthesis. By FSF3, the downstream genes F3H, C3′5′H, CYP75B1, DFR, and ANS in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway were almost all up-regulated, likely promoting the synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanins and inducing the color change of infertile flowers. By analyzing protein–protein interaction networks and co-expression of transcription factors as well as differentially expressed structural genes related to anthocyanin synthesis, we identified negatively regulated transcription factors such as WER-like, MYB114, and WDR68. Their site of action may be the key gene DFR in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. The potential regulatory mechanism of flower color formation may be that WER-like, MYB114, and WDR68 inhibit or promote the synthesis of anthocyanins by negatively regulating the expression of DFR. These results provide an important basis for studying the infertile flower color formation mechanism in H. macrophylla and the development of new cultivars with other colors.

Results of studying the influence of the treatment with the chemical mutagens on the Сallistephus chinensis (L.) Nees plants

The authors present the influence of the treatment with the chemical mutagens on the Callistephus chinensis plants which was researched in 1998-2001. The samples originated by the studied cultivars open pollination were selected in the Experimental Farm “Novosilky” of the Institute of Horticulture of NAAS in 2002-2020. They are registered in the “data base” and included into the list of cvs of the collection of the seeds characteristics complex (Certificate of the registration of the collection of the plants genetic fund in Ukraine № 00230, November 1, 2016). The collection is registered in the National Centre of the Genetic Resources of the Plants of Ukraine and the seeds were transferred to the National Genetic Bank of the Plants of Ukraine for the long-term storage and for the use in the breeding work as new primary material. The plants of the five investigated varieties (Rubinovyie Zviozdy UT2300066), Oksana (UT2300046), Nizhnist (UT2300042), Yabluneva (UT2300081) and Prazdnichnaia (UT2300056) were treated with five physiologically active substances (DG-75, DG-72, DG-82, DG-468 and DG-608) in two concentrations during the mass flowering period. The results of the explorations showed the direct dependence of a bush diameter on its colouration. In the genotypes with the bright-red colour most of the families with diameter less than 30 cm were removed in all the generations. This also concerns the genotypes with the blue flower cluster colouration that were removed in the third generation. At the same time in the families with the wine-coloured flower clusters the plans with the bush diametr more than 30 cm prevail beginning from the second generation up the fifth one. According to the results of the researches all the studied genotypes can be combined into three groups concerning their response to the treatment by the mutagenes – sensitive (17.9 %), of the average sensitivity (62.5 %) and resistant (19.6 %). The striking exmples of the sensitive genotypes are the offsprings of the sample Rubinovyie Zviozdy which under the mutagens influence were characterized with the great variability as to several traits valuable for economy simultaneously. It is from this sample mother plant that the cultivars were selected as follows: Shokoladka (wine – coloured flower cluster), Oksamyt (dark-wine – coloured), and Sofia (dark-violet) which later on were entered into the State Register of the Plaint Cultivars Favourable for the Spread in Ukraine. In its turn, among those cvs the promise Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees hybrid forms were selected, namely: C-125, C-116, C-233 and C-198-2 which have a complex of traits valuable for economy, including ornamentality (9.5-9.9 points), flower cluster diameter (10-14 cm) and Fusarium oxysporum resistance (8.8-9.0 points).

Blue flower coloration of Corydalis ambigua requires ferric ion and kaempferol glycoside

Corydalis ambigua (Japanese name, Ezoengosaku) flowers bloom with blue to purplish petals in early spring in Hokkaido prefecture. In this study, a mechanism for blue petal coloration by ferric ions and keampferol glycoside was elucidated. Blue petals and cell sap exhibited similar visible (Vis) spectra, with λmax at approximately 600 nm and circular dichroism (CD) with positive exciton-type Cotton effects in the Vis region. Analysis of the organic components of the petals confirmed cyanidin 3-O-sambubioside and kaempferol 3-O-sambubioside as the major flavonoids. Mg, Al, and Fe were detected in petals using atomic emission spectroscopy. Color, Vis absorption, and CD consistent with those of blue petals were reproduced by mixing cyanidin 3-O-sambubioside, kaempferol 3-O-sambubioside, and Fe3+ in a buffered aqueous solution at pH 6.5. Both Fe3+ and flavonol were essential for blue coloration.

Crotalaria verrucosa (blue-flower rattlepod).

Crotalaria verrucosa is a herbaceous annual native to Asia and parts of Oceania, now found widely naturalized throughout the tropics and subtropics, sometimes grown as a cover crop, intercrop and soil improver. It is a common weed of roadsides, marshes and agricultural land that can grow rapidly and develop ground cover. However, some studies have shown it does not adversely affect yield when grown with crops such as maize and cassava, while out-competing other weeds. It has not been classified as an invasive species in any country.