Effects of knocking out three anthocyanin modification genes on the blue pigmentation of gentian flowers

Genome editing by the CRISPR/Cas9 system has recently been used to produce gene knockout lines in many plant species. We applied this system to analyze Japanese gentian plants that produce blue flowers because of the accumulation of a polyacylated anthocyanin, gentiodelphin. Mutant lines in which anthocyanin modification genes were knocked out were examined to assess the contribution of each gene to the blue pigmentation of flowers. The targeted genes encoded anthocyanin 5-O-glycosyltransferase (Gt5GT), anthocyanin 3′-O-glycosyltransferase (Gt3′GT), and anthocyanin 5/3′-aromatic acyltransferase (Gt5/3′AT). The Gt5GT knockout lines accumulated delphinidin 3G, whereas the Gt3′GT knockout lines accumulated delphinidin 3G-5CafG as the major flower pigment. Knocking out Gt5/3′AT resulted in the accumulation of delphinidin 3G-5G-3′G and delphinidin 3G-5G as the primary and secondary pigments, respectively. These results indicated the existence of two pathways mediating the modification of delphinidin 3G-5G in flowers, with one involving a glycosylation by 3′GT and the other involving an acylation by 5/3′AT. The Gt5GT, Gt3′GT, and Gt5/3′AT transformants produced pale red violet, dull pink, and pale mauve flowers, respectively, unlike the vivid blue flowers of wild-type plants. Thus, the glycosylation and subsequent acylation of the 3′-hydroxy group of the B-ring in delphinidin aglycone is essential for the development of blue gentian flowers.