The Biologist’s Palette: Genetic Engineering of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis and Flower Color

Abstract

Anthocyanin chemistry and biochemistry have been studied for many decades, largely out of a desire to understand the basis of colors produced in a variety of plant parts. The color of flowers has received particular attention. Interest in flower color was focused not only in chemistry and biochemistry, but also in the genetics of flower color in a number of amenable plants, including Petunia hybrida, Antirrhinum majus (snapdragon), Dianthus caryophyllus (carnation), and Matthiola incana (stock). Interest in the genetics of anthocyanin biosynthesis was driven not only by a desire to understand the basis of flower color, but also out of an interest to manipulate flower color for commercial purposes. The subject of this discussion is similarly two-fold; fundamental understanding of the factors determining flower color, and control of flower color for commercial purposes can be achieved through genetic engineering.