Demethylation of the 3′ LTR region of retrotransposon in VvMYBA1BEN allele enhances anthocyanin biosynthesis in berry skin and flesh in ‘Brazil’ grape

Abstract

Black-skinned and red-fleshed grape ‘Brazil’ is a bud sport of rosy-skinned ‘Benitaka’. ‘Brazil’ has a much higher anthocyanin content in the skin than that of ‘Benitaka’ and is characterized by the accumulation of anthocyanins in the flesh. Our genomic analysis of the VvMYBA loci, which regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis, suggested that the difference in skin and flesh color between ‘Brazil’ and ‘Benitaka’ cannot be explained by genomic alteration at the loci. Expression levels of VvMYBA1 and anthocyanin biosynthesis–related genes in skin and flesh were significantly higher in ‘Brazil’ than in ‘Benitaka’ throughout berry development. DNA methylation levels in the 3′ long terminal repeat (LTR) of a retrotransposon in the upstream region of VvMYBA1BEN allele were clearly higher in the skin and flesh of ‘Benitaka’ than in those of ‘Brazil’ throughout berry development. These findings suggest that a dramatic decrease in DNA methylation level in the 3′ LTR of the retrotransposon in the VvMYBA1BEN allele in ‘Brazil’ increases the expression levels of VvMYBA1 and anthocyanin accumulation in skin and flesh. Our findings also suggest that skin and flesh colors are inherited together and vary depending on the presence or absence of the VvMYBA1BEN allele.