Abstract
Prunus mume is the only plant in the genus Prunus of the Rosaceae family with a characteristic floral scent, and the main component of this scent is benzyl acetate. By contrast, benzyl acetate is not synthesized in Prunus persica flowers. Here, we searched for benzyl alcohol acetyltransferase (BEAT) genes based on genomic data from P. mume and P. persica and found 44 unique PmBEATs in P. mume. These genes, which were mainly detected in clusters on chromosomes, originated from gene duplication events during the species evolution of P. mume, and retroduplication and tandem duplication were the two dominant duplication patterns. The genes PmBEAT34, PmBEAT36 and PmBEAT37, which were generated by tandem duplication, were highly expressed in flowers, and their highest levels were detected during the blooming stage. In vitro, PmBEAT34, PmBEAT3, and PmBEAT37 all had benzyl alcohol acetyltransferase activity that was localized in the cytoplasm. Overexpression of the PmBEAT36 or PmBEAT37 genes increased benzyl acetate production in the petal protoplasts of P. mume, and interference in the expression of these genes slightly decreased the benzyl acetate content. In addition, light and temperature regulated the expression of the PmBEAT34, PmBEAT36 and PmBEAT37 genes. According to these results, we hypothesize that the expansion of the PmBEAT genes in the genome induce the characteristic floral scent of P. mume.
Highlights
Prunus mume is a traditional flower in China that was domesticated more than 3000 years ago as an ornamental and fruit plant
CbBEAT in C. breweri has been reported to catalyze the synthesis of benzyl acetate using benzyl alcohol and acetyl-CoA as substrates, and the substrate benzyl alcohol has been shown to be synthesized from the reduction of benzaldehyde in plants[2,10]
These results suggest that the content of benzyl alcohol and the activity of benzyl alcohol acetyltransferase are two important factors that determine the benzyl acetate content in different varieties
Summary
Prunus mume (mei) is a traditional flower in China that was domesticated more than 3000 years ago as an ornamental and fruit plant. P. mume originates from the southwestern part of China and the Yangtze River basin. The Yangtze River basin, which is in the subtropical monsoon climate zone, is the Throughout the long cultivation history of P. mume in China, breeders have produced many different varieties. These varieties have differences in scent that are detectable by the human nose, benzyl acetate has been reported to be the main component of the fragrance of P. mume[1].
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