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Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Betalains in Plants: From Biosynthesis to Function
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Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Betalains in Plants: From Biosynthesis to Function

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 930

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Farhat Abbas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: aroma and color compounds; biosynthesis pathway; regulatory mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yiwei Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Horticulture Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
Interests: utilization and genetic breeding of ornamental plant germplasm resources; integrated multi-omics analysis of the formation mechanisms of important traits; construction of efficient detection systems for aroma and color
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yanguo Ke

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
Interests: mechanism of aroma and color formation in ornamental horticultural plants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on plant pigments, particularly anthocyanins, carotenoids, and betalains. We invite submissions that explore the complex biosynthetic pathways and diverse functional roles of these compounds. The objective is to collect research that investigates the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating their production and the response to diverse environmental stimuli. We are particularly focused on elucidating their essential roles in plant growth, development, and interactions with the surrounding environment. We encourage submissions that examine the complex relationship between these pigments and plant coloration, highlighting how their presence and abundance contribute to the diversity of colors observed in plant tissues. Understanding the mechanisms of plant pigmentation enables researchers to comprehend how plants utilize color for environmental communication, attraction of pollinators and seed dispersers, and defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. We invite submissions that investigate advanced scientific methods for the detection and quantification of anthocyanins, carotenoids, and betalains in plants. As the demand for rapid, accurate, and non-destructive detection techniques increases, researchers are persistently advancing innovative methods for these pigments. Contributions must detail advanced methodologies, including spectroscopic analysis, imaging techniques, and high-throughput screening methods, while evaluating their advantages and limitations within the framework of plant pigment research.

This Special Issue seeks to present a thorough and interdisciplinary perspective on the diverse functions of anthocyanins, carotenoids, and betalains within plant biology. We encourage researchers across disciplines to present their recent discoveries, promoting new insights and enhancing our comprehension of plant pigmentation, its ecological and evolutionary importance, and the advancement of novel detection methodologies.

Dr. Farhat Abbas
Dr. Yiwei Zhou
Dr. Yanguo Ke
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anthocyanins
  • carotenoids
  • betalains
  • natural plant pigments
  • biosynthesis
  • regulatory mechanism

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4298 KiB  
Article
Functional Characterization of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis-Related Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) Genes in Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum)
by Yongyan Zhang, Sijian Guo, Zening Zhang, Ruide Li, Shitao Du, Siyi Hao and Chunzhen Cheng
Plants 2025, 14(10), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14101449 - 13 May 2025
Abstract
Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) genes contribute greatly to anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. Up to now, however, research on the DFR gene family and the key anthocyanin-related DFR members in blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) has been limited. In this study, we performed [...] Read more.
Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) genes contribute greatly to anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. Up to now, however, research on the DFR gene family and the key anthocyanin-related DFR members in blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) has been limited. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification of the blueberry DFR gene family, identifying 36 VcDFR genes categorized into five subfamilies. Gene expression analysis showed that three Subfamily III members (VcDFR11/29/34) and four Subfamily V members (VcDFR4/7/30/33) are highly expressed in blueberry fruits, particularly at late ripening stages. Transient overexpression analysis in apple fruits verified the contributions of VcDFR11 and VcDFR30 to anthocyanin biosynthesis, with VcDFR11 showing better promoting effects. Blueberry fruit-based transient overexpression further confirmed the promoting effects of VcDFR11 on anthocyanin accumulation and the expression of anthocyanin-related structural genes (especially its downstream anthocyanindin synthase (ANS) and UDP-glucose: flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase (UFGT) genes). The VcDFR11 promoter contains binding sites for both bHLH and MYB transcription factors (TFs). Consistently, yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays confirmed that anthocyanin-related VcMYB-1 and VcbHLHs can bind to and activate the VcDFR11 promoter. Furthermore, co-overexpressing VcMYB-1/VcbHLHs with VcDFR11 led to much higher anthocyanin accumulation than overexpressing VcDFR11 alone, indicating that these TFs positively regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis by upregulating VcDFR11. In summary, our study characterized the blueberry DFR gene family and demonstrated the role of VcDFR11 in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Betalains in Plants: From Biosynthesis to Function)
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21 pages, 10507 KiB  
Article
Function of Anthocyanin and Chlorophyll Metabolic Pathways in the Floral Sepals Color Formation in Different Hydrangea Cultivars
by Yanguo Ke, Umair Ashraf, Dongdong Wang, Waseem Hassan, Ying Zou, Ying Qi, Yiwei Zhou and Farhat Abbas
Plants 2025, 14(5), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050742 - 28 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is distinguished by having sepals instead of real petals, a trait that facilitates color diversity. Floral color is largely predetermined by structural genes linked to anthocyanin production, but the genetic factors determining floral hue in this non-model plant remain [...] Read more.
Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is distinguished by having sepals instead of real petals, a trait that facilitates color diversity. Floral color is largely predetermined by structural genes linked to anthocyanin production, but the genetic factors determining floral hue in this non-model plant remain unclear. Anthocyanin metabolites, transcriptome, and the CIEL*a*b* hue system were employed to elucidate the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of floral color formation in three hydrangea cultivars: ‘DB’ (deep blue), ‘LB’ (light blue), and ‘GB’ (green blue). UPLC-MS/MS identified 47 metabolites, with delphinidin, cyanidin, malvidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, and peonidin being prominent. Delphinidins were 90% of the primary component in ‘DB’. The dataset identifies 51 and 31 DEGs associated with anthocyanin, flavonoid, and chlorophyll biosynthesis, with CHS, CHI, F3H, F3′5′H, DFR, ANS, BZ1, and 3AT displaying the highest expression in ‘DB’. Notably, DFR (cluster-46471.3) exhibits high expression in ‘DB’ while being down-regulated in ‘LB’ and ‘GB’, correlating with higher anthocyanin levels in floral pigmentation. Comparative analyses of ‘LB’ vs. ‘DB’, ‘DB’ vs. ‘GB’, and ‘LB’ vs. ‘GB’ revealed 460, 490, and 444 differentially expressed TFs, respectively. WRKY, ERF, bHLH, NAC, and AP2/ERF showed the highest expression in ‘DB’, aligning with the color formation and key anthocyanin biosynthesis-related gene expression. The findings reveal the molecular mechanisms behind floral pigmentation variations and lay the groundwork for future hydrangea breeding programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Betalains in Plants: From Biosynthesis to Function)
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