A geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase gene, IbGGPS, increases carotenoid contents in transgenic sweetpotato

Abstract

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPS) plays an important role in the biosynthesis of carotenoids. In a previous study, the IbGGPS gene was isolated from a sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., line Nongdafu 14 with high carotenoid contents, but its role and underlying mechanisms in carotenoid biosynthesis in sweetpotato were not investigated. In the present study, the IbGGPS gene was introduced into a sweetpotato cv. Lizixiang and the contents of β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein were significantly increased in the storage roots of the IbGGPS-overexpressing sweetpotato plants. Further analysis showed that IbGGPS gene overexpression systematically up-regulated the genes involved in the glycolytic, 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) and carotenoid pathways, which increased the carotenoid contents in the transgenic plants. These results indicate that the IbGGPS gene has the potential for use in improving the carotenoid contents in sweetpotato and other plants.